Dewsbury man shot in chest during drug dispute

Jordan Lee Eggett was taken to hospital with gunshot injuries after he made it to the petrol station in Bradford Road, Batley asking for help on the evening of October 5 last year.

Officers then found a bag containing cannabis he had dropped at the scene of the shooting in nearby Caledonia Road.

Louise Pryke prosecuting told Leeds Crown Court the bag contained 21 packages of cannabis weighing 27.7 grammes worth around £237. They also recovered his iPhone which when analysed showed he had been dealing in drugs.

Robert Stevenson representing Eggett said he had been released from his last prison sentence for robbery in March last year and was initially doing well on licence.

He got a job as a window cleaner and rented his own flat but in August he lost his job when his employer sold the window cleaning round.

“He needed money for his rent and living expenses and took out a significant loan from a disreputable type and when he could not repay it, he got him involved in this.”

Mr Stevenson said Eggett was involved with cannabis dealing for about a month: “Things came to a head when he said he didn’t want to continue with it any further and when he said he could not repay the money he was shot.”

“He suffered life threatening injuries, was in hospital for two weeks. He still bears and will always bear significant scarring on his torso and arms. He has nerve damage to his arm.”

He said that prevented him for example going to the gym and he was still suffering from sleep deprivation as a result of his trauma. “He still feels somewhat under threat having suffered a degree of summary justice.”

He told the court Eggett had already been recalled to prison for breaching his licence and asked him to be given credit for his guilty plea.

Eggett, 23 of Millbrook Gardens, Dewsbury admitted possessing cannabis with intent to supply and was jailed for 15 months.

The Recorder of Leeds, Judge Peter Collier QC said Eggett had “quite a record” for 29 offences on 20 appearances in court including the robbery in 2012 on which he was sentenced to six and a half years in prison but no previous for drugs offences.

Having lost his job he had taken out an unregulated loan “from somebody who no doubt sought excessive interest, when you couldn’t pay he got you involved in supplying drugs.”

Eggett was then caught as a result of his being shot “when you said you wanted out of that business.”

“That is one of the things that happen when people become involved in the world of drugs that is the sort of risk you run.”