FORMER Ipswich man Lee Fox shot his friend in the head eight times with an air pistol and told him "You're dead".Fox, 28, who is believed to have lived in Burrell Road, faces a possible life sentence or a long term in a secure hospital following a conviction of attempted murder.

By Jessica Nicholls

FORMER Ipswich man Lee Fox shot his friend in the head eight times with an air pistol and told him "You're dead".

Fox, 28, who is believed to have lived in Burrell Road, faces a possible life sentence or a long term in a secure hospital following a conviction of attempted murder.

He also has two previous convictions for deliberate wounding offences and sentencing was adjourned for psychiatric reports.

Violent Fox carried out the attack while he was sitting next to his victim, 45-year-old Joseph Jordan, at Mr Jordan's home in St. Matthews, Leicester.

He opened fire at close range as they sat watching football on television on September 20 last year, saying "You're dead" and "You're target practice."

As a result of the incident Mr Jordan had to undergo surgery to have six pellets removed from his head and two are still embedded in his face.

Fox denied attempting to murder Mr Jordan or attempting to cause him grievous bodily harm with intent. He claimed he acted in self defence after Mr Jordan tried to shoot him with the air pistol which he had just given him as a present.

He also denied possessing the gas-powered air pistol with intent to endanger life.

At the trial at Leicester Crown Court last week, Mr Jordan told of his fear when Fox began to shoot at him.

He said: "He fired a shot at me – straight through my lip.

"I was a bit scared and said 'What did you do that for?'

"He just fired it faster this time like an automatic hitting me eight times or more in the face – in the neck, nose, cheek and near my eye.

"He got up and came towards me, still pointing the gun at me. He was really trying to kill me."

Mr Jordan told how he grabbed Fox's hand before escaping to summon help from a nearby pub.

The pair had been good friends as Fox had been a neighbour of Mr Jordan's before moving to Ipswich.

When he turned up unexpectedly on that night, Mr Jordan let him stay over.

After Fox was convicted Mr Jordan spoke of his relief.

He said: "It is safer for everyone if he is behind bars. He's a dangerous man and I think he is sick.

"I was in real pain as the pellets went in my head.

"He would have carried on if I had not escaped. I am lucky to be alive.

"I showed him friendship and this is how he repays me – he has been the worst kind of friend, I had no idea of his violent past."

The court also heard that in April that year, Fox broke up with his girlfriend Anna Wilson, who he seemed obsesed about, and told Mr Jordan several times that he wanted to kill her.

Prosecutor David Herbert told the court that Fox had also told other people of his plans to shoot or stab Miss Wilson and her new boyfriend.

Fox was allegedly seen hanging around outside her Leicester flat shortly after the shooting but she was out.

He also denied causing Miss Wilson actual bodily harm by punching her in the head and burgling her home last May.

He was found guilty of burglary but was cleared of causing her actual bodily harm.