Fatally wounded teenager told mother ‘I’m going to die’

A Nottingham schoolgirl who was fatally shot in the stomach, survived long enough to tell her mother she was dying, a court has heard.

Danielle Beccan, 14, was returning from the city’s Goose Fair with friends on October 9, 2004, when shots were fired at the group from a passing car.

Mark Kelly, 20, from the Meadows area of Nottingham and Junior Andrews, 23, of no fixed address are appearing at Birmingham Crown Court, charged with the schoolgirl’s murder. They have denied the charges.

Prosecutor Peter Joyce QC told the court that Danielle was fatally wounded, but was able to speak to her mother, Paula Platt, who arrived on the scene around the same time as the ambulance, before she died.

Danielle had been returning with friends from the fair shortly after midnight when the shooting occurred. She had been intending to spend the night with friends. “Instead, shortly afterwards, an ambulance was called, her mother was also called and they went to Rushworth Close in St Ann’s”, Mr Joyce told the court.

Danielle was conscious when her mother and the ambulance arrived, Mr Joyce said, and she said to her mother “I’m going to die”. The 14-year-old died later in hospital.

Mr Joyce said that Danielle had been shot from a car, driven by Mr Kelly, with Mr Andrews in the passenger seat.

Mr Joyce said that there was a “hatred” between some people from the Meadows area of Nottingham and the St Ann’s area, where Danielle and her friends were from. Following the shooting, he told the court, a gloved hand made a ‘W’ sign from the window. The prosecution said that the sign stood for the Waterfront Gang, of which Mr Andrews is alleged to be a member.

The case continues.

(KMcA/SP)