Carer died after "Wild West" shootout near home

By Andrew Hough

LONDON (Reuters) - A hospital care worker was killed by cross fire from a "Wild West" shootout between two youths outside her South London home, a court heard on Tuesday.

Polish-born Magda Pniewska, 26, died instantly after she was hit in the head by a stray bullet, the Old Bailey was told.

Pniewska was the innocent victim of the shootout that occurred just a few hundred yards from her home in New Cross, southeast London, on October 2 last year, the court heard.

She had come to Britain to dedicate her life to helping others, the jury was told.

As the shooting erupted in a car park opposite her workplace, the innocent carer was talking to her sister, who had phoned from Poland, prosecutors said.

She had never met her teenage killers, only one of whom was standing trial for her murder, the court was told.

The shooting was sparked by a feud over money, jurors heard.

Despite police arresting two youths, both of whom were 17 at the time, they had been only able to charge one -- a youth who was born in the Ivory Coast, the court heard.