A teenager who lay in wait for a friend as he walked to school and “calmly” shot him in the face at close range causing devastating injuries has been warned he is facing a lengthy period of custody after being found guilty of attempted murder.

The jury at Ipswich Crown Court returned its verdict today (Friday, June 25) after more than 22 hours over five days of deliberation.

The panel also found the 16-year-old boy guilty of possessing a shotgun with intent to endanger the victim’s life.

The teenager, who was 15 at the time of the shooting in Friends Walk, Kesgrave on September 7 last year and cannot be named because of his age, had denied the charges.

Judge Martyn Levett adjourned sentence until September 3 for a day-long hearing to allow reports to be prepared on the defendant.

He also requested an update on the victim’s injuries as well as statements on the effect of what happened on the victim’s family and the local community.

Judge Levett told the defendant that he needed a lot more information on him before he sentenced him but warned him that he was facing “a lengthy period of custody.”

Judge Levett thanked the jury panel for the care they had taken in reaching their verdicts and excused them from jury service for 10 years.

The teenager was found guilty of attempted murder by an 11-1 majority verdict and was unanimously found guilty of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.

He was cleared of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence to a man who witnessed the incident.

The defendant had earlier pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm with intent to cause the victim of the shooting fear of violence.