CCTV shows innocent father gunned down in case of 'mistaken identity'

by · Mail Online

This is the moment gunman riding an e-bike shot an innocent father-of-two in the head in a case of mistaken identity.

Jake Brown, 23, opened fire at the silver Skoda five times on Page Hall Road in Sheffield, shooting Kevin Pokuta, 19, in the head on December 12 last year.

Brown can be seen passing the car with Mr Pokuta inside before backing up, getting out a gun and shooting at the vehicle as it rapidly reversed.

But he shot the wrong man, after falsely believing the car belonged to cannabis dealers who he had tried to rob earlier that day.

The victim's younger brother, Dominik, 17, was also in the car during the shooting but escaped unharmed.  

In an emotional victim impact statement, the teenager said: 'Kevin was a good soul who had his whole life in front of him.

'He was a shy family man but was so funny and could make all of us laugh.'

On Monday, Brown was jailed for life with a minimum term of 36 years for murder.

The footage shows Jake Brown, 23, opening fire at the silver Skoda five times, and shooting Kevin Pokuta, 19, in the head in the early hours of December 12, last year
Brown, pictured, who did not take the stand to defend himself during his trial, was jailed for life for Kevin's murder on Monday and told he must serve a minimum term of 36 years
After a botched robbery, Brown mistook the car for one belonging to drug farmers, pulled alongside the vehicle before shooting five shots at the car

Three other men - Lester Ramsey, 25, Leon Waite, 26 and Adam Mulligan, 33 - were also found guilty of conspiracy to rob. They were also jailed for a total of 12 years. 

Sentencing Bron, Mr Justice Lavender said: 'It's a tragedy that you, no doubt fired up with your desire for revenge, mistook him for the wrong person. No sentence I can pass will ever make up for the loss of Kevin.'

It was heard how the killing came after a botched robbery on December 11, 2023 after the group met with another group of men to a cannabis factory in a house in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, - in a convoy of black cars, e-Bikes and Mulligan's white van.

The group went there with a plan to rob the drugs but failed at it when the drug farmers defended it.

The prosecution stated that a grey VW Passat, was carrying the drug farmers drove at one of the men, knocking him off the bike. 

Soon after this, Brown shot at the car in retaliation, the court was told.

Prosecutor John Harrison KC told the jury during the trial: 'It is clear that most of the group wanted to take revenge following the confrontation, and so they went looking for the VW Passat they intended to shoot the occupants.'

Three other men, above, were also found guilty of conspiracy to rob and were also jailed for a total of 12 years
It was heard how the killing came after a botched robbery on December 11, 2023
The 19-year-old who died caught up in the cross hairs, was shot in the back of the head, leaving his heartbroken younger brother scrambling to get both of them to safety

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After not being able to steal the drugs, the group broke up however within 30 minutes, Brown got a different gun and went out to the street looking for revenge.

It was at this time, around 12.20am, that he spotted a similar silver-grey car and, believing it was the one carrying the drug farmer, pulled alongside the vehicle before shooting five shots at the car before riding away.

The 19-year-old who died caught up in the cross hairs, was shot in the back of the head, leaving his heartbroken younger brother scrambling to get both of them to safety.

He was rushed to Northern General Hospital by paramedics but but his injury was deemed medically inoperable. 

He was taken off life support on December 13, 2023 and died shortly afterwards. 

In a victim impact statement written by Dominik on their behalf and read out by Mr Harrison, Kevin's family said they were 'devastated' by the 19-year-old's death.

They said: 'No one can comprehend that Kevin is dead. When he was taken to hospital we all thought he was going to be okay, that doctors could save him.

'Kevin was a father to two young children he will never see grow up... his son celebrated his his third birthday blowing out candles by his grave side.. No child should have to do that.

'Kevin was a good soul who had his whole life in front of him. He was a shy family man but was so funny and could make all of us laugh.

'Kevin will be loved and missed by us forever.'

The 19-year-old was rushed to Northern General Hospital by paramedics but but his injury was deemed medically inoperable

During his trial, Brown was unanimously found guilty of murder by a jury in November.

He was also found guilty of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, attempted GBH and conspiracy to rob.

In sentencing, Mr Justice Lavender said: 'Kevin Pokuta had nothing to do with the cannabis farm. You did not know him and had nothing against him.'

A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was also found guilty of conspiracy to rob.

He was commended by the judge for engaging with youth services, schooling, and finding volunteer work since the killing.

He was handed a youth rehabilitation order lasting two years and ordered to complete 60 hours of unpaid work.