14/06/99 - Three shot at Southend all-night party
By Essex Evening Echo
Two men have been released by police after three people were seriously injured in what has been dubbed a revenge shooting.
The victims - two men and a woman - were today said to be comfortable in hospital after the triple shooting at a crowded all-night party in Southend. Two masked men, armed with pump-action shotguns, burst in on the party in Locksley Close in the early hours of Saturday morning.
It came a year to the day since Malcolm Walsh, 32, was stabbed to death while visiting the road. Terry Watkins, 53, who also lived in Locksley Close, was jailed for life at Chelmsford Crown Court in March for Mr Walsh's manslaughter.
One of the victims, Stuart Tretton, 20, is Watkins' step-son. The victims of the shooting were taken to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford with serious hand injuries, but their condition is not life-threatening.
The ruthless gunmen shot two fingers off the left hand of Jenny Dickinson, 32, injured the face and hand of Raymond Tretton, 25, and the hand of his nephew Stuart Tretton, 20. Mum-of-three Jenny was hailed a heroine because she pushed away a women thought to be in the line of fire.
Jenny, who lives nearby, was shot in the hand. Her friend had a lucky escape after a bullet missed her body and ripped her jumper. Jenny's former partner John Spackman was looking after their three children when shots rang out from the party house at about 4am. He went to the scene where he saw Jenny writhing in agony on the ground.
She screamed out: "Help me, help me, I've had my fingers shot off." Mr Spackman claimed he was not allowed anywhere near the house. It was sealed off by police who suspected gunmen were still near the property. The all-clear was given after an armed police unit appeared and surrounded the property.
Mr Spackman, who lives in another part of Southend, said: "From what I understand Jenny was at the party having a drink and a laugh. Then these men burst in and opened fire. They were really frightening and it's amazing no one was killed. "Jenny and the two men have had their hands blown to shreds and are in a bad way. I understand there were young children in the house."
His daughter Joanne, 15, said she and sister Kerry-Anne, 11, and eight-year-old John were asleep when she was woken by the guns being fired and people shouting. She said: "Mum was really badly hurt, but I am proud of her because she saved her friend from being shot by pushing her out of the way. Even the police said she was very brave."
Det Supt Steve Reynolds, stationed at Southend, confirmed the investigation was being connected with the killing of Malcolm Walsh last year. He said: "I cannot go into details at this stage, but clearly this is in our minds. We are now trying to protect those people involved as we are looking for those responsible. We still have a number of witnesses to speak to before we get a clear picture of what happened."
One of the men questioned over the shooting was released on police bail, while the other was released without charge.
