Donna Foster threatened the victim before her son Callum Cox descended on his house
09:52, 16 Jun 2025Updated 10:08, 16 Jun 2025
From left: Callum Cox and Donna Foster(Image: GMP)
A man and his associates shot at a house with a gun after his mum became embroiled in a row over puppies.
Callum Cox spent more than two hours with his mum, Donna Foster, before travelling to the victim’s home in Leigh with three others.
A court heard how the victim – who had been a friend of Foster – found his front door off its hinges after the weapon was fired, before a masked person fired shots at the man twice, missing both times.
Following the attack, Cox fled to Spain but was finally brought back to the UK and arrested more than two-and-a-half years later.
Both he and Foster, 45, were jailed after appearing at Manchester Minshull Street Crown court last Friday (June 13) – but other people involved have not faced justice.
Foster’s chilling texts after puppies row
Greater Manchester Police says the victim had met Foster by chance in 2018 and became friends, but their relationship deteriorated when she asked him for money after falling into financial hardship.
The victim, who was breeding American Bulldogs, made an agreement with Foster to look after a new litter of puppies for money at her home in Belmont Avenue, Bickershaw, Wigan.
But as the weeks went on, the victim became unhappy and concerned about the housing condition the puppies were living in at Foster’s home, and he refused to pay her.
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The victim made a mutual agreement with Foster that his son could temporarily stay at her address to care for the puppies, but the agreement didn’t last long.
On January 11, 2022, the victim attended Foster’s home with a friend to retrieve his puppies, while his son was still there, along with another female occupant.
GMP says he retrieved the puppies but a scuffle ensued between him, his son, Foster and the female occupant, causing a disturbance.
Officers discovered a text from Foster at 8.02pm that evening, in which she wrote: “Right now this is war, I’ve just been thrown around my home and all dogs took.”
Foster went on to engage in a row with her former friend by text, telling him: “We both know I’ve only ever been good to you and your family.. no matter lines been crossed good luck best wishes all my condolences to you family xxx”
Shots were fired at victim
At 11.16pm, Foster had a 61-minute phone call with her son Cox, who went on to visit her from 2pm to 4.30pm the next day. From that point, Cox was traced moving towards Barron Meadow, in Leigh, from his phone signal and electronic tag.
The first shot was fired at 5.27pm, when the victim heard loud banging before discovering his front door was off its hinges. CCTV footage showed four offenders, GMP says.
Bullet holes following the shooting(Image: GMP)
The victim then saw a masked male who fired two more shots in his direction, missing both times. He was unharmed while his dogs ran out of the property and were gathered by the suspects.
After 6.04pm, Cox used an associate’s phone to ask Foster to pick him up from Leigh, while he kept his phone switched off.
She was captured driving her Volvo on CCTV before returning home after 6.45pm.
CCTV footage of Donna Foster’s vehicle on Atherleigh Way, Leigh(Image: GMP)
The victim suspected Foster’s involvement and visited her home, where he retrieved his dogs again. At 9.19pm that night, Cox sent further threats and racial slurs to the victim on Instagram.
Cox and Foster were arrested a short time later, with both giving no comment during interviews, and Foster providing a prepared statement denying her knowledge of the incident.
The pair were released pending further investigation, before Cox was reported missing on June 16, 2022, after he had fled to Spain. He was brought back to the UK and arrested in Sussex on March 19 this year.
Cox, of HMP Forest Bank, was sentenced to five years in prison plus an extended licence period of three years after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
Foster, of Belmont Avenue, Wigan, was sentenced to 13 months after pleading guilty to malicious communications, over threatening messages sent to the victim.
A third suspect was acquitted in court last December, while four others were arrested in connection with the shooting, but there was insufficient evidence to charge them.
‘Both mum and son acted in a cold, callous and dangerous manner’
Following the sentencing, Detective Constable Riyaz Patel: “Callum Cox is a prolific offender. Both Donna Foster and Callum Cox played a significant part in this firearm discharge taking place which caused significant fear to the victim and the wider community.
“Both acted in a cold, callous and dangerous manner. This was an extremely complexed and challenging investigation but one which was detected through meticulously piecing the evidence together evidence with a fine-tooth comb which took hundreds of hours.
“I’d like to commend the victim for his bravery and courage, the CPS, the courts and I sincerely hope the sentence imposed by the courts give the victim and wider community re-assurance that the police will investigate serious crime vigorously and punish those responsible for violent crimes in our communities.”
Detective Sergeant Andy Devine, senior investigating officer in the case, added: “This was a callous and pre-planned attack by Callum Cox orchestrated by Donna Foster which occurred following a dispute over dogs with the victim.
“I am delighted with the sentence imposed which reflects the hard work that has been invested in by the investigation team. I hope this sentence shows the lengths we will go to bringing offenders to justice and the communities of Wigan and Greater Manchester safe.”
Cox was also sentenced concurrently for offences of robbery, aggravated taking without consent, actual bodily harm and attempted grievous bodily harm, not linked to the shooting.