Company director who blasted love rival in the leg to force an amputation is jailed for 11 years and his NHS nurse mother for 18 months after she helped him clean up the blood
- Vincenzo De Falco was jailed for 11 years and three months for GBH with intent
- The 30-year-old shot Jonathan Smith in leg at point-blank range with shotgun
- Shooting caused severe injuries to Mr Smith’s leg which resulted in amputation
- De Falco’s mother was jailed for 18 months for helping to clean blood in the car
A company director who shot a love rival in the leg with a shotgun has been jailed along with his mother who helped clean up after the attack.
Jonathan Smith, 25, was blasted in the left leg at point blank range with a shotgun after being lured to a meeting with his ex-lover’s new boyfriend who discovered he had been texting her.
Mr Smith was found dumped in the street in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, and underwent a total of 56 hours of surgical procedures which ultimately led to doctors having to amputating the leg just below the knee.
At Bolton Crown Court, Mr Smith who now has PTSD and still has bullet fragments and shrapnel embedded in the rest of his leg spoke out as former company director Vincenzo De Falco, 30, was jailed for 11 years and three months after admitting intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The 25-year-old has had to quit the home he shared with his partner in Ashton-under-Lyne and moved in with his aunt Lisa who gave up her own job to become his full time carer.
In an emotionally charged statement the father of three told the court how the attack had cost him his job, home, girlfriend and ‘himself.’
Vincenzo De Falco (pictured left) has been jailed after shooting a love rival in the leg which caused injuries that meant it had to be amputated while De Falco’s mother Patricia Dean (pictured right) was jailed for helping him clean up the blood from the car used in the attack
He added: ‘The effect this horrific crime has had on my life is unimaginable. Every time I look at my leg I feel sick.
‘Any dignity I had as a 25-year-old man has gone and I am dressed and washed by my auntie on a daily basis. She now feeds me and looks after my basic needs.
‘My two daughters are also suffering and this kills me. They do not want to come and see me as they are scared of looking at my injuries and cannot comprehend what has happened.
‘They are too young and cannot understand why Daddy isn’t able to take them out like I used to. It breaks my heart to see the sadness and fear in their faces when we meet.’
The court heard Mr Smith was attacked on January 21 2019 after being lured into the back of a Mercedes C350 Sport E car by De Falco who had earlier told friends he ‘wanted to put the jitters’ on someone.
Philip Barnes, prosecuting, said: ‘Jonathan Smith got into the rear of the Mercedes only to be confronted by De Falco, who asked if Smith had been sending messages to his girlfriend Lucy Flux.
Pictured: Vincenzo De Falco (left) and Patricia Dean (pictured right) were jailed today
‘Smith said that he had been in contact with Lucy, but it was not something that De-Falco needed to worry about and that they simply remained friends.
‘De Falco then began to shout at Mr Smith, saying: “You think I’m some sort of muppet?”
‘He turned in the driver’s seat to face Mr Smith who saw he had a shotgun in his hand and it was pointed at Jonathan Smith’s legs. For a second time, De Falco shouted at him: ‘You think I’m some sort of muppet?’ and added the threat, ‘You want to get shot?’
‘Mr Smith took hold of the barrel of that gun and tried to twist the muzzle away from his leg and shuffled across the seat, intending to get out.
‘But it was at that point that De Falco fired the shotgun at point-blank range into Mr Smith’s left leg. He then pushed Mr Smith out of the car, leaving him to fall onto the pavement.
‘Mr Smith was quickly attended to by passers-by but it was clear that his injuries were very serious. The incident has had the most profound effect upon Jonathan Smith and those who care for him.’
The mother of Vincenzo (left), hospital nurse Patricia Dean, 59, (right) who had the Mercedes used in the attack leased to her by the NHS was jailed for 18 months for assisting an offender
Whilst he was in hospital in the days after his leg was amputation, Miss Flux’s sister visited Smith and offered him £3,000 as ‘compensation’ for his injury. He refused to accept it.
De Falco who once ran a media representation company was arrested when police stopped a BMW he was travelling in with his mother Patricia Dean.
He gave no comment in interview but in a statement read to the court said: ‘From the bottom of my heart I wish it to be known I am overcome with sorrow that Mr Smith was injured in the way that he was
‘I accept full responsibility and truly wish I could change the outcome. I can only imagine the suffering of Mr Smith and his family.’
The court heard the shotgun was never recovered.
Sentencing De Falco, Judge Tom Gilbart told him: ‘This gross piece of violence and quite brutal attack was planned, premeditated, involved the use of a highly dangerous weapon and has changed lives.
‘The victim didn’t seem to understand there was any ill-feeling towards him from you yet you shot him at close range and quite callously dumped him in the street in broad daylight as he bled profusely. It was quite shocking criminality.
‘Almost every aspect of Mr Smith’s life has been changed forever by what you did. His life was turned upside down both physically and mentally.
‘You should be utterly ashamed and appalled that you could do this to another human being.’
His mother, hospital nurse Patricia Dean, 59, who had the Mercedes leased to her by the NHS was jailed for 18 months for assisting an offender after she had the vehicle cleaned of Mr Smith’s blood following the shooting.
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