A HEAVY police presence including armed officers is expected at a Worcester court today ahead following a city shooting.

Kyle Ryley, Ciaran Irvine and Gerad Doherty face sentence today at the city's crown court following a violent incident involving men armed with a number of weapons including an axe, machete and a shotgun ‘with intent to endanger life’ when stopped by police in a car in Worcester. We reported at the time how shots were fired and there was a crash in Blackpole. Attempted murder charges were, however, later dropped.

Read about jealous man's brick attack on ex and her car

The three men are due to appear today for sentence before Worcester's most senior judge, Judge James Burbidge QC, Honorary Recorder of Worcester, following the incident in Blackpole Road, Worcester, on March 10 last year.

No show at court for hooded Worcester attacker

It was reported at the time a shot was fired, there was a crash and the road was closed as armed police attended the scene.

However, attempted murder charges against Gerard Doherty, 20, of Oxford Road, Ryton-on-Dunstone and Ciaran Irvine, 19, of no fixed abode, were dropped.

The guilty pleas came after a two day wait for the case to be called on, as their legal teams held conferences. At Worcester Crown Court last month Doherty admitted possessing a firearm, a loaded handgun, with intent to endanger life at a hearing last month.

Doherty and Irvine both admitted possessing a firearm, a shotgun, with intent to endanger life, ammunition (74 shotgun cartridges) with intent to endanger life, having an offensive weapon, a machete, without reasonable excuse in a public place, having an offensive weapon, an axe, without reasonable excuse in a public place and having an offensive weapon, a knife, without reasonable excuse in a public place.

The previously reported counts of the attempted murder of two police officers, PC Simon Damm and PC James Rimmer, were not put to the defendants.

Thomas Kenning, prosecuting, explained: “The crown have had sufficient time to consider those pleas. I have spoken to everyone I need to and those pleas are acceptable.”

He said the crown had decided not to pursue some of the counts against the defendants.

“I make it plain for the record that the case of the prosecution has never changed and will not change,” Mr Kenning said.

“The weapons in the vehicle are what lead to the charges of possession with intent to endanger life.”

Mr Kenning said Kyle Ryley, 21, of no fixed address, had already pleaded guilty to the offences.