21/05/2008

Jury Out On 'Wild West' Shooting

The jury is out to consider its verdict in the trial of a teenager accused of killing a young woman in a 'Wild West ' style shoot out.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denies murdering 26-year-old nursing assistant Magda Pniewska, in New Cross, south London, last October.

Ms Pniewska, of Polish origin, had been taking a short-cut home through a car park whilst talking to her sister on her mobile phone when she was caught in a cross-fire between two youths.

She died of a bullet wound to her head close to her home which she shared with her partner Radoslaw Lipka.

The defendant said that he had retaliated after the other youth had fired a couple of shots into the air to scare him off.

Brian Altman QC, prosecuting said that the shooting was "reminiscent of the Wild West" and that "Magda was the innocent victim of a gunfight between two young men who were total strangers to her".

A second 17-year-old male had been arrested but was not charged. Police had not been able to connect him to the incident.

Read: Trial Hears Polish Woman Was Killed In Shoot-Out

(DS)




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