A GANG who shot at a man after he confronted them in a Bolton street have admitted their guilt.

At Bolton Crown Court the Sabir Abdulkadir, Ismail Abdullahi and Abdul Said were due to stand trial following the shooting of Jon Robinson in Lindfield Drive, Halliwell, on November 7 last year.

But, shortly before a jury was due to be sworn in 21-year-old Abdulkadir pleaded guilty to possessing a shotgun with intent to endanger life while Abdullahi and Said both admitted possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

The case was adjourned until July 12 when Abdulkadir, of Rawcliffe Street, Manchester, Abdullahi, aged 22, of Chetwood Drive, Bolton and Said, aged 21 of Langdon Close, Bolton, will be sentenced.

In a separate hearing, held in December last year their victim, 35-year-old Robinson, who has links to organised crime, was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to affray and possessing a hammer and knife.

In the early hours of November 7 Halliwell residents heard two loud bangs they assumed, at first, were fireworks. But CCTV footage from the area showed three men getting out of a car and one of them pulling a shotgun from a bag and shooting towards Robinson.

Robinson had been anticipating violence and acted aggressively with a knife in one hand and a hammer in the other.

After the shots were fired Robinson ran at the men, chasing them away before returning to their car and smashing it with the hammer.

Shotgun pellets had hit Robinson in the arm and back and he was arrested two days later at his home, his blood-stained clothing was recovered and blood was found in the bath.

He needed hospital treatment to remove the shotgun pellets.