Bradford man shot rival twice in chest in drive-by shooting

A man who shot a rival twice in the chest in a drive-by shooting has been jailed for 18 years and eight months.

Jacob Gallagher opened fire on Francis Lupton in Bradford in August 2024 in retaliation for a previous attack he blamed his victim for.

Gallagher, 32, was jailed alongside his cousin, Josef Poutch, 22, after both men pleaded guilty to firearms offences partway through their trial at Bradford Crown Court.

Passing sentence Judge Jonathan Rose described Gallagher as a “violent man” and said Mr Lupton had only “fortuitously, [avoided] the loss of his life”.

The court heard Gallagher, of Quereshi View, in Manningham, Bradford, had hired a Range Rover in his girlfriend’s name while in prison for an unrelated matter.

Following his release he drove the vehicle, with Poutch as a passenger, to Mr Lupton’s home where he shot his victim before fleeing the scene.

After dropping Poutch off he then set fire to the Range Rover before enlisting another relative to collect him.

He was later arrested alongside his girlfriend on the A64, near Scarborough, with their passports in a bag.

Both men had been on trial charged with attempted murder but four days in pleaded guilty to lesser charges.

Gallagher, who had already admitted an arson charge, pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Poutch, of Ripley Street, in Bradford, pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

The judge said Mr Lumpton had “suffered serious and substantial injuries avoiding, entirely fortuitously, the loss of his life”.

He added that while Gallagher thought Mr Lumpton was responsible for shooting him years before, he was not in a position to say whether that was correct or not.

The court heard Mr Lumpton was taken to hospital after the shooting, but was discharged two days later and refused to assist in police’s investigation.

Gallagher was told he would serve an additional five years on licence following his release.

Jailing Poutch for two years and eight months, the judge said while he was responsible for his own actions he would not have been involved were it not for Gallagher’s influence.

He told Gallagher he had “ruined” his cousin’s life, adding: “You are responsible for the damage to him going forward.”