Nathan Higham opened fire on a car before vaulting garden fences to escape as two brothers sought to cover their tracks
Nathan Higham opened fire on a car before vaulting garden fences to escape as two brothers sought to cover their tracks
A “stupid argument” descended into gunfire before those responsible tried to bury the evidence of their guilt. Gunman Nathan Higham unleashed a volley of three bullets upon a car in a field against the background of the simmering dispute then “legged it”, vaulting over the garden fences of nearby houses in a bid to escape.
His accomplices, brothers Craig and Kyle Jones, meanwhile set about covering their tracks, heading for remote farmland armed with a spade and apparently abandoning their clothing submerged beneath the soil. One of the siblings would go on to flee Merseyside for Scotland the following day.
Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday afternoon, Thursday, that a member of the public called Merseyside Police anonymously to report gunshots being fired on Chesterfield Drive in Kirkby shortly after 8.45pm on July 14 2023. During her 999 call, the woman reported: “There’s a white car driving round on the field and boys running away in balaclavas.
“There were three, all in black with balaclavas on. They went onto the field and they shot about three times. I don’t know whether it was a real gun or what. I just saw them pull them out their pocket and then three bangs, and then they legged it.”
Henry Riding, prosecuting, described how officers subsequently attended the scene and recovered three discharged bullet casings from an area near to the entrance of a field at the end of the street in question. The unnamed caller was later identified by detectives and, when spoken to further, recalled seeing a white car which was supposedly “after the three males in balaclavas”, who were on foot.
This vehicle was then said to have driven onto the grassy land, at which stage one of the three masked men reportedly turned and pulled a handgun from his pocket. He then raised the firearm and pointed it at the car before the witness heard “three loud bangs”.
The shooter then ran away along Chesterfield Drive and onto Ebony Way. His two accomplices meanwhile split off in a different direction and fled onto Ivory Drive.
CCTV enquiries later revealed that the gunman had jumped over a fence into the garden of a property on Grantham Road which shared a back fence with Higham’s mum’s partner’s home. The 22-year-old, of no fixed abode, was caught on camera exiting the latter address around 10 minutes later and entering a taxi which travelled to his mother’s house on Ashfield Crescent.
He was shown to have used the same phone number to book a ride from the Horse and Jockey pub in Melling a week previously using the same company. No victims have been identified in relation to the shooting to date, although firearms experts identified that the recovered Geco 9mm parabellum cartridge cases had been fired from a Luger self-loading pistol.
Further CCTV enquiries meanwhile showed the gunman’s accomplices continuing on foot towards Ashwood Close, with a grey Peugeot 308 seen leaving the area moments later and travelling two miles to land off Rock Lane in Melling. Here, two males were seen exiting the car and walking towards a field and out of view before one briefly returned to collect a spade in his left hand and “another object” in his right.
The men returned to the vehicle, which was registered to Craig Jones, after a few minutes in a change of clothing. The 31-year-old, of Ashwood Close, then placed a phone call to a man from the L4 area who had “recently been released from prison in Scotland” before travelling north of the border on July 15.
Both his and Kyle Jones’ DNA were discovered on items of clothing recovered during a search of the field on Rock Lane. Gunshot residue was also detected on a pair of gloves found in this location.
Higham has a total of nine previous convictions for 15 offences, including being handed 54 months behind bars in September last year for robbery and being concerned in the supply of class A drugs. His counsel Charles Lander said: “He was young at the time. He was 20 years of age.
“His position is slightly different from his co-defendants. It is acknowledged that he is the shooter. He did have an antecedent record at the time, but nothing of the seriousness of this.
“I asked him why he had this weapon. It was given to him by someone else. He had never used it before. It was a stupid argument. He regrets it.
“He is determined to lead a law abiding lifestyles on release. He wishes to disassociate himself from certain individuals in the area and to move away and find employment.”
Neither of the Jones brothers has an existing criminal record. Ian Whitehurst, defending Craig Jones, told the court: “There is a letter from the defendant expressing his remorse for his actions.
“Testimonials demonstrate a different side to this defendant. He should know better. He now knows better after his time in custody and realising the devastating impact it has had on his family and, in particular, the impact on his partner, who is pregnant with their second child.
“He is a strong family man and a supportive man who had a very difficult upbringing. He has suffered with depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder after losing both parents at a young age.
“He has never been out of work since leaving school. He engaged as a plumber in the past, and various other jobs. He struggles to explain the sheer stupidity of getting involved in an incident like this.
“He is finding it difficult to explain why he acted completely out of character. When he is released, this defendant can continue to lead a law-abiding life, rehabilitate himself and continue to support his family – which he has been doing now for many years.”
Brendan Carville said on behalf of 21-year-old Kyle Jones, also of Ashwood Close: “The defendant was 19 years of age at the time and of previous good character, a 19-year-old who had the trauma of losing his grandparents and then his father when he was 11.
“He had suicidal tendencies following the terrible deaths in his family. Not withstanding that, he had some success at school. He worked voluntarily with a gas fitting company.
“He was the youngest of those involved. He has learned his lesson. Ordinarily, he is a decent young man. Once he has served the sentence he deserves, he will be released and resume the good things that he has done in the past.”
All three defendants admitted possession of a prohibited of a prohibited firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and possession of ammunition without a certificate. Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool, they showed no reaction as they were jailed for five years each.
Higham’s term will be served consecutively to his imprisonment for robbery and drug offences. Sentencing, Judge Stuart Driver KC said: “The three defendants were in joint possession of the gun and ammunition and Higham pulled the trigger. Afterwards, efforts were made by the group to bury incriminating evidence.
“Nathan Higham, you are in a worse position than the other two defendants. You played a greater role than the Jones brothers. You pulled the trigger. You have a criminal record. In mitigation, you were young at the time and you are making progress in custody.”
Turning to the Jones brothers, the judge added: “You are both of previous good character and I have read references showing a better side to your personalities, including your employment records. You both had a very difficult family background, losing both parents at an early age.
“Craig Jones has the mitigation of his behaviour during these difficult years and the contribution he made to the family in rearing his younger siblings. Kyle Jones has the mitigation of his youth. You both have had, not surprisingly, struggles with your mental health, and I take that into account.”