Jail for drugs dealer who shot love rival in mum’s car Victim’s leg had to be amputated
ADRUG dealer has been jailed for more than 11 years after blasting a love rival in the leg with a shotgun, as they both sat in his mum’s Mercedes.
Vincenzo De Falco shot his victim at point blank range before dumping him to the pavement, on January 21 2019.
De Falco’s mum Patricia Dean then took the NHSleased car to be professionally cleaned, in a failed attempt to get rid of the evidence.
Last month, Dean, 59, was jailed for 18 months after being found guilty of assisting an offender.
At the Bolton Nightingale Court on Monday De Falco, 30, was sentenced to 11 years and three months imprisonment, having previously pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent and supplying cannabis.
Prosecution barrister Philip Barnes told the court that De Falco’s girlfriend
Lucy Flux was an ex-partner of the victim.
In the weeks leading up to the shooting, Miss Flux and the victim had been texting and it was through her that the man arranged to buy an ounce of cannabis from De Falco.
He travelled Ashton-under-lyne from to
Rochdale and got into the Mercedes-benz C-class, which was being driven by De Falco.
The car was leased by Dean, through the NHS, and she allowed her son to drive it as and when he needed it, the court heard.
When inside the car, De Falco confronted the victim about his contact with Ms Flux and shouted: “You think I’m some sort of muppet”.
The victim reassured De Falco that he was just friends with Ms Flux and that there was nothing to worry about.
De Falco then said: “You want to get shot” and the victim noticed a shotgun pointed towards him.
He grabbed the barrel of the gun to turn it away from him and shortly after, De Falco told another man to let the victim out of the car.
As he shuffled across the back seat to leave, De Falco shot the victim in the leg at point-blank range. The man was then dumped out of the car onto the pavement on Knowsley Street, where passers-by called an ambulance.
In the aftermath, De Falco concocted a plan to hide the car and then get it cleaned, which Dean did.
Both were arrested in Middleton, two days after the shooting.
During his interview, De Falco denied being responsible for the shooting and said he did not know if he had access to the Mercedes.
A series of victim impact statements heard by the court laid bare the devastating effect that the shooting has had on the victim.
After several hospital appointments and 56 hours of surgery, the decision was made to amputate the man’s left leg below the knee.
He had to move out of his upstairs flat and move into his auntie’s living room, where she had to help him wash and go to the toilet.
The man’s auntie also had to quit her job to become his full-time carer.
His victim impact statement read: “I didn’t just lose my leg, I lost precious time with my young daughters that I will never get back.
“I lost my home, my job, my relationship.
“I lost everything, including myself.”
The man also said he has had suicidal thoughts and had to give up activities that he loved such as football, jogging and cycling.
A psychologist has since said that the victim displays symptoms consistent with PTSD.
The court heard that De Falco, of Kebroyd Lane, Sowerby Bridge, has no previous convictions for violence but has previous convictions for possession of an axe and possession of an imitation firearm.
Defending De Falco, Adam Roxborough said: “From the bottom of his heart, he wishes to let it be known that he is overcome with sorrow that [the victim] was injured in the way that he was.
“He accepts full responsibility for his actions and he truly wishes he could have changed the outcome for [the victim] and his family.
“Not only has [the victim] suffered but he can only imagine what it has done to his family. The worry that they have gone through is immeasurable.
“He accepts very serious injuries were caused, he didn’t at the time, envisage that the injuries would be that serious.”
Mr Roxborough told the court that De Falco has been remanded in custody since his guilty plea in March 2019.
While in prison, he has been stabbed and seriously assaulted.
“Those things happen in prison and he knows his actions have placed him there,” Mr Roxborough said.
“He regrets all that happened. It happened at time when he was associating with individuals who are criminally sophisticated.”
Judge Tom Gilbart described the shooting as a “gross and serious piece of violence.”
Sentencing De Falco, Judge Gilbart said: “[Your victim] has lost his job, lost his accommodation, suffered the indignity of having his aunt clean and dress him, suffered from PTSD, depression and nightmares.
“He has been rendered unable to play sports he enjoyed and was unable to take his young daughters out while he was in hospital.
“Almost every aspect of his life was changed forever by what you did.
“You should be utterly ashamed and appalled that you could do this to another human being.”
Of his mum’s involvement, Judge Gilbart added: “She was imprisoned last month. It should rest heavily on your conscience that you dragged your mother into this business.”
Judge Gilbart also imposed a restraining order on De Falco, prohibiting him from visiting or contacting the victim in anyway.
The restraining order will remain in place indefinitely.