A MAN on trial over claims he providing the shotgun used in an attack on a ‘drug dealer’ has changed his plea to guilty.

The jury at Chester Crown Court were told that William Dale, 25, of Shepherd Street in Biddulph, now admitted possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

The plea change came at the end of the third week of his trial.

The court has been told that the weapon was fired twice at the front door of a house on Parkgate Road, on the Moss estate, on October 8. The house had a family including two young children inside.

It is claimed the gun was then hidden in a wooded area of Bullocks Lane, Sutton, and later stolen by Zain (pictured right) who the prosecution claims was lured back to the spot on October 30 and stabbed.

Dale’s change of plea came at the end of a dramatic week where Ricky Jervis, who has already pleaded guilty to firearms offences, told the court he supplied the firearm and ammunition to Charlie Beadell for the attack on Parkgate Road.

The jury was told Mr Jervis had previous convictions for possession of cannabis and a kidnapping charge in 2009 where he was jailed for four years.

Mr Jervis told the court heard that he got involved in drugs when he was 16, starting as a street dealer.

He said he always bought from his friend Dale and moved onto selling wholesale amounts.

The court heard that Mr Jervis began selling drugs to Mr Beadell last year and occasionally smoked cannabis with him.

Mr Jervis told the court that Mr Beadell and Zain would pick up the drugs from him and appeared to be friends.

He said that in August Mr Beadell wanted a gun after getting threats from Manchester heroin dealers. Mr Jervis told the court: “He was fuming, stressed, worried. He wanted to take it to them before they took it to him. I got the impression he wanted to flash something around. It was clear no one was going to get shot.”

Mr Jervis said he also had a dispute with a ‘drug dealer’ and offered to help when he learned who was the target.

The court heard that Mr Jervis had not intended to be at the shooting until a change of plan on October 8 and ‘blagged’ his friend Patrick Jordan into giving him a lift to Macclesfield.

He said he didn’t tell either Mr Jordan, or the passenger in his car, Cade Spence, of the plans for the shooting.

Mr Jervis said he picked up the gun on a canal towpath in Congleton from two people and Mr Beadell had the ammunition in a small bag.

The court heard that the group arrived at a flat on Daintry Street, Macclesfield, where they met Zain Sailsman and Daniel Galloway. Mr Jervis told the court that after seeing the gun Mr Jordan and Mr Spence were uncomfortable and ‘wanted to go’.

Mr Jordan, 19, of Mow Lane, Astbury, and Mr Spence, 20, of Haworth Avenue, Congleton, both deny firearms offences.

Galloway, 25 of Macclesfield, has admitted firearms offences.

  • Updated: Mr Spence was later cleared by the court.