A court reporter has won the right to name a teenage gunman after arguing it was “vitally important” for his name to be in the public domain.

Derby Telegraph court and legal affairs correspondent Martin Naylor, pictured, successfully challenged reporting restrictions protecting Tafa Whittaker.

Martin’s challenge came after Whittaker, 17, was found guilty at Derby Crown Court of attempted murder for shooting 34-year-old Luke Taylor in the chest.

Judge Jonathan Bennett accepted Martin’s argument that it was in the public interest to name the gunman.

Speaking to HTFP, Martin said: “I felt it was vitally important that should Tafa Whittaker be found guilty of such a serious crime, his name was in the public domain and I made this point in my verbal representations to Judge Bennett.

“I told him that in nearly 16 years covering cases at Derby Crown Court sadly knife crimes were all too frequently heard leading to loss of life and serious injury.

“However, I told the trial that during that time I could count the number of shootings where someone has been killed or, as in this case, very seriously hurt, if not on the fingers of one hand, certainly two.

“I said that despite his young age Whittaker always admitted to being the gunman and as such it was in the public interest for his name to be in the public domain.

“I’m delighted the judge thought the same and agreed to our application as a deterrent to anyone, whatever age or sex they are, thinking of doing the same in Derbyshire.”

Whittaker will be sentenced in April.