Man accused of attempted murder following alleged 'revenge' shooting tells court he 'just wanted to scare them away' to 'protect' family after 'robbery'

A man accused of attempted murder told jurors he wanted to 'scare' a group who 'robbed him' by firing a shot at the wheel of their car. Daniel Whelan, 32, accepts he shot at a Ford Focus on Horsedge Street in Oldham in October last year.

He missed, with the bullet instead hitting another car being driven by a member of the public, who had his 10-year-old daughter in the car. Fortunately, nobody was hurt , Manchester Crown Court heard. Giving evidence, Whelan denied intending to kill, harm or injure, instead telling the court: "I just wanted to scare them away to protect my family."

Whelan previously admitted possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. His brother, Alex Whelan, 26, has admitted driving to the scene. Both deny attempted murder.

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Daniel Whelan told jurors about the 'robbery' he claims happened minutes before the shooting. CCTV footage was shown to jurors. Whelan said was at his mother's house on Great Gable Close when a VW Golf pulled into a car park.

He said he spoke with the driver, who he knew but refused to name, and had earlier smoked two joints. The man was holding a white carrier bag, Whelan said. It contained 'off cuts' of cannabis to be used to bake into cakes, the defendant said, adding: "I didn't expect anything to happen."

Alex Whelan then pulled into the same carpark in a borrowed BMW X3, before the two men briefly spoke, jurors heard. Daniel Whelan said he was ‘catching’ up with his younger sibling as he hadn't seen him for a while.

He said he showed the occupants of the Golf a piece of the cannabis for them to smell before a taxi pulled up across the road.

“I’ve had problems with this lad,