Man who murdered Bulwell man in case of mistaken identity to appeal for parole

Michael O’Brien was aged just 23 when he shot Marvyn Bradshaw outside the old Sporting Chance pub in Bulwell in August 2003.

O’Brien had intended to kill Jamie Gunn – nephew of notorious Nottingham crime lord Colin Gunn – after an argument at the pub following a late-night lock-in.

O'Brien and Bulwell man Gary Salmon were convicted separately at Nottingham Crown Court for the murder of Mr Bradshaw, with O’Brien sentenced to life with the recommendation that he serve a minimum of 24 years – later reduced to 18 – while Salmon was given life with a minimum term of 18 years.

Now, O’Brien has begun the process to have his case referred to the Parole Board.

At the time of the original trial, the court heard O’Brien and Salmon had gone to the pub and argued with Gunn and another man.

During the row, it was said O’Brien had been struck with an object.

He and Salmon then went back to Salmon’s Bulwell home and picked up a shotgun before heading back to the pub with the intention to shoot Gunn.

The shot was fired at the car Gunn was in, but instead of killing him, O’Brien shot Mr Bradshaw, who was driving. Mr Bradshaw, a 22-year-old shopfitter, died later that day.

The incident had a traumatic effect on Gunn, who died of pneumonia a year later.

His death led to another horrific crime as his uncle Colin Gunn vowed to get revenge on O’Brien, which led to two of his henchmen – who remain unknown and have never been traced – murdering O’Brien’s mother Joan Stirland and her husband John, O’Brien’s stepfather, at their home on the Lincolnshire coast.

The incident led to police arresting Colin Gunn, along with his brother David and associates Michael McNee and John Russell, the latter from Bulwell, and charging them with conspiring to murder the Stirlands.

Colin Gunn, Stirland and McNee were all found guilty and jailed in 2006 – Gunn for 35 years, Stirland for a minimum term of 30 years and McNee for a minimum term of 25 years.

David Gunn was found not guilty by the jury.