JANUARY 2008
We prepare
a monthly summary of gun incidents, focussing on those that raise key
issues about the nature of gun crime and the adequacy of gun legislation. Items that
have been amended or added to the list since the
Summary was written are marked (*).
ENGLAND
Wembley & Kingsbury Times,
31 January 2008
Francis Boateng burst into a
man's home in Cricklewood, north London, in January 2007 (see
Incidents) on the hunt
for drugs and money. He picked up the man's air rifle and shot him in
the chest fatally injuring him. Boateng was convicted of manslaughter
and conspiracy to rob. Three other men were convicted of conspiracy to
rob. Another man is on the run and not been traced by police.
Sentencing was adjourned.
Malvern Gazette,
31 January 2008
A teenager was hit in the face
by what is believed to have been a BB-gun
pellet fired from a car in
Malvern, Worcestershire. The victim is expected to undergo surgery
in eye hospital to remove the pellet. Two youths have been arrested.
One has been charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent (BBC,
1 February 2008).
BBC,
31 January 2008
Leon Johnson has been jailed for
at least three years over a shooting at a carnival in Moss Side,
Manchester, in May 2006. An 18-year-old was also convicted of
possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and will be sentenced
in April. Police received reports of gunshot being heard. No-one
was seriously injured.
Press Association,
30 January 2008
A 17-year-old suspected of being
involved in the shooting dead of 11-year-old Rhys Jones in Croxteth,
Merseyside, in August 2007 (see
Incidents) was arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm
following raids on three addresses in Croxteth.
Northern Echo,
30 January 2008
A man shot at a car being driven
by a couple close to the hamlet of Low Worsall in Cleveland.
The woman described how a car had suddenly come up behind them and an arm
came out of the rear window with something black in his hand. Seconds
later the back window was hit. Police have no idea whether the gun was
an air weapon or something more deadly.
In the News,
30 January 2008 *
Two teenagers were in a critical
condition in hospital after a shooting in a betting shop in Withington,
Manchester. An 18-year-old had received gunshot wounds to the stomach
and torso and a 16-year-old sustained gunshot wounds to the chest, shoulder
and leg. Two men were seen fleeing the betting shop. The
16-year-old victim has since died in hospital (see
February 2008 Incidents). The police
have said they want to speak to a man seen driving away from a petrol
station without paying (BBC, 20 May 2008).
Express & Echo,
30 January 2008
Armed police went to a home in
Uffculme, Devon, after a woman claimed that she had been held against
her will. She mentioned she had seen a firearm. No firearm was
seen by officers, but a man was arrested and was in custody.
Eastbourne Today,
30 January 2008
A train from Eastbourne to
London Victoria was stopped by police at Berwick station after rail
staff reported seeing a man with what looked like a gun or pistol in his
waistband at Polegate. Staff were unsure whether the man had
boarded the train and no weapon was found.
Diss Express,
30 January 2008 *
Police fired a stun gun to
subdue a man who threatened a driver with an air rifle at Bridgham,
Norfolk. It is understood that the man had blocked the bridge in the
village with a van and he had been behaving oddly both in Bridgham and
earlier at Garboldisham. He was retained under the Mental Health Act.
Citizen (Blackpool),
30 January 2008
Stuart Boys, 21, has been jailed
for 27 months after pointing an air rifle
at a group of young people during a burglary in Poulton. He
stole an X Box and some computer games. Boys had 22 previous offences
on his record, including robbery.
BBC,
30 January 2008 *
A lorry driver was threatened
with a handgun as his vehicle was parked on a bridge over the M1 at
Barlborough in Derbyshire. Thieves stole his load of 300
televisions.
BBC,
30 January 2008
Nine people have been arrested
and three guns seized by police as part of an operation to tackle gun crime
in Manchester. Twenty houses in Trafford and Eccles were
searched.
BBC,
30 January 2008
A man was shot in Lighthorne
Heath, Warwickshire. He was taken to hospital where his condition
was described as stable. Police are questioning a man in connection
with the incident. A man is on trial charged with attempted murder,
possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life and possessing a banned
weapon and ammunition (Courier (Warwick), 28 April 2008).
Argus (Brighton),
30 January 2008
Children as young as four have
been spotted roaming the streets in the Whitehawk estate, Brighton,
in large numbers, shooting at buses and residents' homes with
ball-bearing guns. Thirty two
incidents of damage have been reported to the police this month. An
initiative has been launched involving a curfew which will be monitored
solely by residents across the estate.
Leicester Mercury,
29 January 2008
Levi Crawshaw accidentally shot
himself in the leg but told the police he was the victim of a mystery
gunman. The incident took place during a party at a pub in Woodgate,
Leicester, in March 2007 (see
Incidents).
Crawshaw has admitted that he shot himself while putting the handgun, a
7.65mm self-loading pistol, in his front trouser pocket and has been given a
five year jail sentence.
Birmingham Mail,
29 January 2008
A window of a shop in Heath
Hayes, Cannock, Staffordshire, was smashed when airgun shots were fired.
BBC,
29 January 2008
Three men were arrested
following an incident at a flat in Manchester city centre in which a
woman was reported to have been hit over the head with a gun. Police
recovered an imitation firearm from the
flat.
BBC,
29 January 2008
Five men are due to be sentenced
on kidnap, robbery and firearms charges for their part in a £53m raid on a
depot in Tonbridge, Kent, in February 2006 (see
Incidents). Stuart Royle, Jetmir
Bucpapa, Roger Coutts, Lea Rusha and Emir Hysenaj had all denied conspiracy
to kidnap, conspiracy to rob and conspiracy to possess firearms. The
manager was kidnapped as were his wife and child of the depot manager who
were taken from their home in Herne Bay at gunpoint. Two other
men were cleared of involvement. The five men were given sentences of
between 20 and 30 years (Info4Security, 30 January 2008).
The Star (Sheffield),
28 January 2008
A 17-year-old was arrested for
possessing a firearm after two gangs clashed at Chapeltown station in
Sheffield. Armed officers were called after the police had staged a
search of the train following the confrontation and found an
airgun in a toilet.
Northampton Chronicle &
Echo,
28 January 2008
A man fired a shot during a
dispute in a Northampton street. Nobody was injured and a blank
firearm was recovered. Police are hunting the gunman.
Bramley Today,
28 January 2008
Desmond Sharp repeatedly shot
his wife with a .22 air rifle in the
living room of their house in Fairfield Hill in Leeds after he had
been drinking. He has been jailed for three-and-a-half years.
BBC,
28 January 2008
A rifle was pointed at police
officers called to a disturbance in Penhill, Swindon. A man was
arrested in connection with a serious firearms offence, and a number of
air rifles and pellets along with crossbows
and bolts were recovered from a nearby house.
BBC,
28 January 2008
A presenter filming a TV
documentary in Croxteth, Merseyside, has had a gun pointed at her.
A car with blacked out windows pulled up alongside the crew and an arm with
a gun came out of the window. Police are investigating.
BBC,
27 January 2008
Two teenagers, aged 15 and 17,
were taken to hospital after a shooting in the Hyson Green area of
Nottingham. Their injuries were not life threatening and the
15-year-old has been released from hospital. Police have stepped up
patrols in and around Nottingham.
Avon and Somerset
Constabulary,
27 January 2008
Police are appealing for
witnesses after a firearm was discharged outside a pub in Bristol.
Damage was caused to a window.
Wimbledon Guardian,
26 January 2008
A man held up a shop in
Teddington at gunpoint. The man pulled out a silver gun and
demanded the till be opened. He tool £140.
Liverpool Echo,
26 January 2008
A man was shot in the back as he
tried to escape a gunman he had confronted on his doorstep in Speke,
Merseyside. The hooded gunman had smashed down the victim's front door
believing him to be in his house. The weapon is believed to have been
a low-calibre shotgun.
BBC, 26 January 2008
*
Two men are in hospital after
being shot on a housing estate in Preston. Their injuries were
not life-threatening. Two men have been charged with attempted murder
and a third man has faced charges of unlawfully possessing two shotguns
without a certificate (BBC, 7 March 2008).
Wigan Evening Post,
25 January 2008
A man committed suicide by
stabbing himself after being terrorised by yobs who repeatedly fired a
ball-bearing gun at his home in
Pemberton. At the man's inquest a container of yellow ball
bearings was produced by his father.
Evening Telegraph
(Peterborough),
25 January 2008
Two women were robbed at
gunpoint in The Meadows area of Nottingham They were approached
by two men who pulled open the doors of their car and grabbed a bag
containing cash. Both men were armed with handguns.
Bromsgrove Standard,
25 January 2008
Teenager Darren Irish fired a
ball-bearing gun at two women pensioners as
they visited a site in Sidemoor, Bromsgrove. One of the victims
was left with a ball-bearing lodged in her arm because it was too difficult
to remove. The other woman was hit in the shoulder. Irish who
had been drinking pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing actual
bodily harm. He was sentenced to 18 months detention.
Skelmersdale Advertiser,
24 January 2008
A 19-year-old who fired an
air rifle pellet at a bus in the Digmoor
area of Skelmersdale has been arrested and given a final warning. He
was one of several people targeted during a campaign to clampdown on bus
vandalism following a spate of incidents in recent weeks.
Lincolnshire Echo,
24 January 2008
Figures obtained by the paper
reveal that the number of people injured by guns in Lincolnshire
trebled over five years. Sixty people were injured in 2004/05 but 55
of the incidents involved air rifles and
BB guns. The majority of the
victims (56) were not seriously injured. Half of those wounded were
children under 15.
Huddersfield Daily
Examiner,
24 January 2008
A report in the paper, which
describes complaints by Jeanette Fill about a lack of police response to an
assault on her, reveals that she had threatened to shoot herself outside
Huddersfield police station in December 2006. She pleaded guilty
to possessing an imitation firearm (a ball bearing
gun) in a public place. She had spent 10 weeks in prison on
remand and was then given a 51-week prison sentence suspended for two years
for this offence and for threatening to destroy or damage property at a
garage.
Great Yarmouth Mercury,
23 January 2008
A woman from north Yarmouth
was taken to hospital after sustaining an injury to her nose in what police
established was an accident involving an airgun.
Bromley Times,
23 January 2008
Ian Upson, 20, has been jailed
for seven years after five raids on banks in south London. He pleaded
guilty to conspiring to committing robberies on banks in Dulwich
Village, Herne Hill, Penge and Sydenham between
April and July 2007. He was caught after a fifth robbery in West
Wickham in July 2007. Police found a
ball-bearing gun in a rucksack in his home. A second man,
Herbert Kulsomu was given an indeterminate sentence after pleading guilty to
armed robbery and possessing an imitation firearm. He had been
recruited for the West Wickham robbery.
Lancashire Evening Post,
22 January 2008
A man and a woman are on trial
following a shooting in Ribbleton in May 2007. The victim was
hit from close range with a shot from what was believed to have been a
self-loading pistol though the bullet went across his chest without going
through his ribs. The man denies attempted murder and his 19-year-old
girlfriend pleads not guilty to intending to pervert the course of justice
by providing a false alibi.
BBC,
22 January 2008 *
A shot was fired at a house in
Allenton, Derbyshire, by someone on foot who then got into a car and
drove off. A man in the house suffered minor injuries from broken
glass. Police don't believe it was a random shot and are investigating
whether there are any gang links. The incidents follows three others
in Derby, one earlier this month in Allenton, and the police say that a
12-strong police unit has been investigating five incidents. Eight
addresses have been raided in the past month (Derby Evening Telegraph,
23 January 2008). Initial tests show that a bullet was fired through
the window (BBC, 24 January 2008).
Northampton Chronicle &
Echo,
21 January 2008
A teenager, aged between 16 and
18, produced what was thought to be a handgun and threatened staff at a
takeaway in Northampton. He produced the gun after he was
challenged for behaving aggressively. He fled the store.
BBC,
21 January 2008 *
A pregnant woman was assaulted
and robbed in Milton Keynes by a group of six youths, one of whom
pulled out what was thought to be a handgun. The group demanded money
from their victim. A girl in the group stole her shoes before the
offenders ran off.
BBC,
21 January 2008
A man has died after he
threatened police officers with a knife following a domestic dispute in
Goldington, Bedford. Police shot the man with a Taser gun and he
was later found with serious injuries and died in hospital. A
pathologist has said that the Taser stun gun shock was not a contributory
factor in his death.
BBC,
20 January 2008 *
Yesterday a 20-year-old was shot when two
other men burst into a takeaway in Stretford, Greater Manchester.
A number of shots were fired. The victim was taken to hospital and was
said to be in a critical condition, but died in intensive care three days
later from his injuries (BBC, 27 January 2008). A £20,000
reward has been offered by the police in the hunt for the killers (BBC,
21 April 2008).
Sun,
19 January 2008
Following the report that the
Browning 9mm pistol used to wound a woman police officer in Nottingham
had been sold by a soldier (see
December 2007 Incidents) the paper reveals that a total of 109
guns have been lost or stolen from military barracks in the last seven
years. The guns have apparently been smuggled back from Iraq and
Afghanistan by squaddies and sold to criminals. Only 35 weapons have
been recovered.
Northampton Chronicle &
Echo,
19 January 2008
Ian McLean held up staff to rob
a Northampton store in November 2005 and pistol-whipped the manager.
He was convicted of robbery, possession of an
imitation firearm and wounding with intent and was sentenced to
12 years in prison in July 2006. His sentence has now been reduced to
take account of the time he spent in prison before he was sentenced.
Evening Telegraph
(Northampton),
19 January 2008
An air
rifle was among items stolen during two burglaries from
neighbouring business units on an industrial estate in Wellingborough.
Evening Courier
(Halifax),
19 January 2008
Four masked raiders armed with
what appeared to be a handgun attacked a shop in Rastrick, West
Yorkshire. The men took the contents of the till, cigarettes and bottles of
spirits and damaged the security cameras. A delivery driver arriving
at the scene was hit on the head with the gun and suffered a broken jaw.
Swindon Advertiser, 18 January 2008
Armed police raided an address
in Pinehurst, Swindon, and found two air
rifles and two replica guns
which were surrendered to police. They were acting on information that
guns were being stored there and believe that their removal has helped make
Swindon's streets safer.
The Star (Sheffield),
18 January 2008
A man was confronted by two men
with a gun, possibly a shotgun, on his doorstep in Southey Green,
Sheffield. They demanded cash but the man slammed his door and the
offenders ran off without opening fire.
Huddersfield Daily
Examiner,
18 January 2008
Three men, one armed with a gun,
demanded money from a shopkeeper in Huddersfield. The woman's
husband walked into the shop and tried to push the gun away, but was punched
in the face. The thieves tried to steal the till, but failed and stole
cigarettes.
Bolton News,
18 January 2008
A boy held a gun to the heads of
two women during two separate robberies in Bolton. In the first
incident the victim was also sexually assaulted. The offender opened
the passenger door of her car, sat down and threatened to shoot her if she
protested. He stole her purse and a handbag from the second victim.
He is believed to be aged between 14 and 16 (Bolton News, 19 January
2008).
Middleton Guardian,
17 January 2008
A shopkeeper in Rhodes,
Greater Manchester, was held up at gunpoint by two men who posed as
customers before brandishing the gun. They demanded cash and
cigarettes and escaped with £650 and more than £1000 worth of
cigarettes.
Hemel Hempstead Express,
17 January 2008
A man has been arrested on
suspicion of purchasing/possessing a firearm after police raided his home in
Grovehill, Hemel Hempstead, in Hertfordshire.
The Gazette
(Blackpool),
17 January 2008
A shop worker was held up at
gunpoint at a Blackpool convenience store. The gunman shoved a
shotgun into the face of the sales assistant. He demanded money and
got away with a small amount of cash.
BBC,
17 January 2008
Gun pellets were fired at
members of the public in Yeovil. One woman was hit and needed
minor treatment in hospital. A delivery driver sheltered behind his
van which was damaged.
BBC,
17 January 2008
A man is to appear in court
charged with two firearms offences and four offences under the Explosive
Substances Act after an explosion at a house near Eldson,
Northumberland.
Advertiser,
17 January 2008
Police carried out a search
in Winslow, Buckinghamshire, after a report of a gunshot in the
town centre. No evidence of a firearm being discharged was
discovered.
Newbury Today,
16 January 2008
Police have charged a man with
firearms offences after swords, crossbows and
imitation firearms were found at a property in Pangbourne.
Officers recovered six imitation firearms, seven swords, 27 knives and two
crossbows at a flat. A man has been accused of pointing an imitation
gun at a teenage girl and has been remanded in custody (Newbury Today,
24 January 2008).
The Gazette (Blackpool),
16 January 2008
A man from Bispham has
appeared in court accused with possessing a handgun with intent to cause
someone to believe violence would be used against them. He has been
remanded in custody.
Evening Gazette
(Middlesbrough),
16 January 2008
A woman driver was left shaken
after a man opened the door of her car and threatened her with a handgun
whilst trying to snatch her handbag. The incident took place in
Linthorpe, Middlesbrough. The man became unnerved and fled empty
handed. A man has been arrested and police have recovered a handgun.
He has been pleaded guilty attempting to rob and of possessing a firearm or
imitation firearm (see March 2008
Incidents).
Bolton News,
16 January 2008
James Roper pointed a silver
toy handgun at an off-licence owner in
Westhoughton during an attempted robbery in November 2007 (see
Incidents). The
woman feared for her life and spent several days in hospital following the
ordeal. Roper pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and possession of an
imitation firearm and has been jailed for 4 years.
BBC,
16 January 2008
A man was left with a
gunshot wound after two men called at an address in Smethwick,
West Midlands. The victim is in a stable condition (Asian Image,
17 January 2008).
BBC,
16 January 2008
Replica
guns were among items stolen from a trailer outside a house in
Kidderminster, Worcestershire. The guns and other items stolen
(sound system, cowboy boots, hats, ties) belong to a Roy Orbison tribute
artist.
Evening Telegraph (Peterborough),
15 January 2008
Adil Perez, 16, threatened a
security guard with an imitation gun in
the centre of Peterborough, in December 2007. He pleaded guilty
to possession of an imitation firearm with intent and will be sentenced next
month.
Birmingham Mail,
15 January 2008
Carlos Tolley of
Smithswood, Solihull, was drunk when he pointed a Walther PP99
air pistol at a taxi, brandished a
machete at two young men and threatened to kill police officers in July
2007. The offences arose after Tolley had made a 999 call.
He pleaded guilty to carrying a firearm in a public place, three
offences of possessing offensive weapons and one charge of affray.
He has been jailed for 18 months.
BBC,
15 January 2008
A 16-year-old faced firearms
and drugs charges following a police raid in Catford, south east
London. A 13-year-old was also arrested and released on bail
BBC,
15 January 2008
A man was being treated after
being shot in the eye with an airgun in
Kirkby, Merseyside. The shooting was believed to be a random
attack. A man has been arrested and an air rifle recovered (BBC, 17 January 2008).
The victim has been left blind in his left eye (Liverpool Echo, 18
January 2008).
BBC,
15 January 2008
Two workmen were threatened with
a replica gun after being called to fix
a boiler at a property in Wigan. A man has been arrested on
suspicion of possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear.
This is Cheshire,
14 January 2008 *
A man walking in Altrincham
was forced into the back of a car and threatened with a black handgun.
He was held in the car by two men for nearly 20 minutes before being
released. The man has now been charged with wasting police time having
admitted that he made up the incident (Manchester Evening News,
9 February 2008).
Northampton Chronicle & Echo,
14 January 2008
A 16-year-old has been arrested
in connection with an attempted armed robbery on a store in Northampton.
Two people threatened the shopkeeper with an air
rifle which was discharged into the air. Nothing was stolen
and no-one was injured.
Birmingham Mail,
14 January 2008
Kristopher Sami fired a pellet
gun in a park in Solihull where children were fishing. He
admitted possessing a loaded air weapon
in a public place. Sami was jailed for four months but was released
immediately as he had already spent the equivalent of a nine-month sentence
in custody.
BBC,
14 January 2008
Four men have been arrested on
suspicion of conspiracy to commit two murders in Manchester. They are
also being held in connection with offences of possessing firearms with
intent to endanger life and the supply and possession of drugs. The
arrests are part of the inquiry into the murders of two victims who were
shot in June 2007 in the centre of Manchester (see
Incidents) and in July
2007 in Chorlton-on-Medlock (see
Incidents).
News Shopper,
13 January 2008
A family was left distressed
after robbers burst into their home in Blackheath, south east London.
One of the three robbers threatened the family's six year old daughter with
a gun. They made off with £2,000 in cash.
BBC,
13 January 2008 *
A masked man armed with a
handgun threatened a member of staff at a betting shop in Lowestoft,
Suffolk, before fleeing with cash.
BBC,
13 January 2008
The body of Garry Weddell, a
Metropolitan Police inspector, has been found in woodland near a shooting
club in Markyate, Hertfordshire. A forensic search of the gun
club was underway. Weddell was a member of the club until his licence
was revoked following his arrest for the murder of his wife last year.
The discovery of the body has been linked to the death of his mother-in-law
whose body was found in Gustard Wood in Hertfordshire on the same
day. Weddell is reported to have killed himself after apparently
shooting his mother-in-law (News of the World, 13 January 2008).
The local MP wants an inquiry into why Weddell was not in custody whilst
awaiting trial for his wife's murder. He had been granted bail with a
surety of £200,000 on condition that he hand in his gun licence and stay
away from his mother-in-law (BBC, 14 January 2008). A coroner
has said that the judge's decision to grant bail was "properly conducted".
A coroner has ruled that Weddell unlawfully killed his wife and her mother
before taking his own life (see
March 2008 Incidents).
The Sentinel,
12 January 2008
Andrew Bullock threatened youths
with a .177 calibre air pistol at a shop
in Smallthorne, Staffordshire, after a friend told him she had been
threatened by a group of yobs. The teens ran out of the shop.
Bullock was given a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months and
will undergo 12 months' supervision and complete an enhanced thinking skills
programme. He was ordered to forfeit the weapon and ammunition.
Northern Echo,
12 January 2008
A man wearing a wig and waving a
plastic ball-bearing gun punched a
fellow drinker in the face in a pub in Durham. David Moore
admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and was sentenced to four months
in a young offenders' institution, suspended for a year, with 120-hours'
unpaid work.
BBC,
12 January 2008
Two men, aged 18 and 21, were
injured in a double shooting in the Norris Green area of Liverpool.
Both were taken to hospital for treatment to injuries described as not
life-threatening. Neither is co-operating with police inquiries.
Rumours are that the shootings were gang-related (Liverpool Echo, 14
January 2008).
BBC,
12 January 2008
A man was shot in the chest as
he sat in a parked car with a friend in Old Trafford, Manchester.
He was taken to hospital for treatment but was later discharged.
Southport Visiter,
11 January 2008
Two armed robbers forced a
Birkdale cab driver from his car at gunpoint. The victim was left
abandoned on a dirt track after the raid and his car was stolen.
Somerset County Gazette,
11 January 2008
Police found a rifle and a
number of de-activated grenades during a search of a man's home in
Monkton Heathfield, near Taunton. The house owner remains in
police custody.
Evening News (Norwich),
11 January 2008
Fears have been raised over the
safety of walkers on Mousehold Heath after footage showing a teenager
playing pretend war games with his friends was posted on the YouTube
website. The teenagers themselves were wearing goggles to shield
them from the shots but others on the heath would not have been protected.
According to the report, the gang is seen playing
airsoft.
BBC,
11 January 2008
The gang responsible for the
murder of a drug dealer whose body was found in Pattingham,
Staffordshire, in September 2002 with five gunshot wounds have been
convicted of murder (see 2006
Incidents). Adam Joof, Antonio Christie, Levi Walker,
Owen Crooks and Michael Osbourne, who were all involved in exporting
drugs from the West Midlands and selling them in Aberdeen, were all
found guilty of murder. Walker had already been jailed for the
murder of a soldier who was shot in Smethwick in September 2004 (see
Incidents) whilst
he was home on leave. They all face life sentences.
Tameside Advertiser,
10 January 2008
A 17-year-old was left
terrified when gunmen stole his motorbike in Droylsden. The
men wielded a black handgun and forced the teenager to hand over his
bike. They rode off on the bike followed by a white van.
Liverpool Echo,
10 January 2008
Nathan McGrail, 18, who is
on bail after he was arrested on suspicion of discharging a firearm in
Huyton in December 2007 has been banned from acting in a violent
or threatening manner in a network of streets in Huyton.
BBC,
10 January 2008
A man from Darlington
has been charged four months after police raided his home and seized a
haul of replica, deactivated and component parts of military weapons and
ammunition.
BBC,
10 January 2008
A gunman targeted and robbed
three women, one aged 18, in separate attacks in Buckhurst Hill,
Essex. The teenager was pistol-whipped by her assailant and was
left with a head injury. The gunman, armed with a small black gun,
escaped with a handbag and two purses.
BBC,
10 January 2008
A firearm and ammunition
were seized by police during raids in Croxteth and Norris Green
in Merseyside targeted at drug activity by two gangs, the Croxteth Crew
and Strand Gang. Twenty eight people were arrested.
The Press (York),
9 January 2008
Michael Simpson threatened a
student with an air pistol during an
attempted robbery in York in September 2006 (see
Incidents).
He was caught after a DNA sample left on the gun used in the robbery was
matched to him after he had been stopped for a motoring offence.
He has been jailed for five years after pleading guilty to attempted
robbery.
Metro,
9 January 2008
Carl Bridson terrorised his
neighbour in Farnworth, near Bolton, for five years allegedly
firing an air rifle at his house and
playing loud music through the night. A CCTV was shot out with a
rifle. Bridson has now been banned from living in his own home
after he is released from prison where he is serving a six months
sentence for harassment.
Manchester Evening News,
9 January 2008
A man was threatened at
gunpoint during an armed robbery at a New Year's Eve house party in
Gorton. Three men burst into the house carrying an iron bar, a
hammer and a black handgun. The gang stole a mobile phone and a
handbag containing keys to a car which they used to flee the scene.
Maidenhead Advertiser,
9 January 2008
Armed police surrounded a
packed commuter train after reports that a teenager had boarded the
train at Bourne End station with a handgun. An 18-year-old
was stopped and searched but no weapon was found.
Liverpool Echo,
9 January 2008
A robber held a handgun to
the neck of an elderly man during an incident in St Helens in
August 2007. Peter Waite, who admitted two firearms offences, was
jailed for five year and seven months for threatening the victim and
another man during a robbery on a bus in the town. Lee Smith, his
accomplice in the second incident which involved the theft of a bottle
of wine and six cans of beer, was jailed for four years.
Argus (Brighton),
9 January 2008
Armed burglars left behind
their gun, a .22 air rifle, when
they stole a scramble bike worth around £800 from a shed in the back
garden of a house in Portslade.
Newham Recorder,
8 January 2008
A man was shot in the back in
Stratford, east London, after he had just got out of his car. It
is thought that the victim and gunman knew each other.
The Herald (Plymouth),
8 January 2008
A man's body was found by police
at an address in Lipson. The man, a licensed firearms-holder,
had died of gunshot wounds. Two firearms and ammunition were recovered
from the house. Police are not treating the matter as suspicious.
Guardian,
8 January 2008
An gang of teenagers armed with
an imitation Beretta pistol forced their
way into a house in Northaw, Hertfordshire, after claiming to be
estate agents, where they threatened to shoot a woman. Her 14-year-old
son, who raised the alarm after hiding his younger brother in a cupboard,
was also threatened. Chloe Doltis and Tristan Harriette were found
guilty and four others, Jake McLean, Dalton Lawal, Courtney Mitchell and
Dario Wokora, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary. They received
sentences of between three years seven months and five years.
BBC,
8 January 2008 *
A security guard was threatened
with a gun by two robbers outside an off licence in Basildon, Essex.
The men escaped with a five-figure sum of cash. The getaway car was
later found burnt out in Vange.
Weston & Somerset Mercury,
7 January 2008
A 15-year-old has been robbed at
gunpoint whilst he was walking home in Weston-super-Mare. It
was not clear whether the weapon used was a real gun, an
imitation or a toy
according to police. The robbers, also believed to be teenagers, ran
off with the victim's mobile phone.
Manchester Evening News,
7 January 2008
Five masked men threatened a
couple with a gun during an incident at a flat in Moss Side.
After a brief verbal altercation the gang left. The gun was not fired
and no-one was injured.
Liverpool Echo,
7 January 2008
A man who was shot in the
stomach in a street in Anfield, Liverpool, was one of three arrests
after police raided a house near Liverpool city centre. The men were
charged with drug offences.
Herald Express,
7 January 2008
An
airgun sniper who damaged windows at a shop, a house and a
takeaway in Totnes, Devon, may have been responsible for damage at
the Civic Hall where a second floor window has been cracked.
Chester & District Standard,
7 January 2008
A man was shot in the leg in a
"targeted attack" at a house in Kensington, Merseyside. Several
men forced their way into the property. The victim required hospital
treatment but his injuries were not life-threatening.
BBC,
7 January 2008 *
A man armed with an
imitation gun sparked a police armed
response when he was spotted in Oswestry, Shropshire. He was
arrested on suspicion of possessing an imitation firearm with intent to
cause fear or violence.
BBC,
6 January 2008 *
A man was shot dead as he was
driving in Halewood, Merseyside. He was killed by a bullet
through the windscreen in what police believe to be a targeted attack.
The man's car crashed into another vehicle following the attack. A man
has now been charged with murder (BBC, 29 February 2008).
BBC,
6 January 2008
A man was reported carrying a
pistol in a pub in Swindon. A man was arrested on suspicion of
the possession of a firearm and is on bail while the gun is checked to see
if it is an imitation.
Argus (Brighton),
6 January 2008
Two women workers in a
Hastings off licence were confronted by a man pointing a handgun at
them. They were so frightened they were unable to work the till and
the would-be robber fled empty-handed.
Times,
5 January 2008 *
The wife of a man who died after
being found with gunshot wounds in their bedroom in Fenstanton,
near Cambridge, was being questioned by police. The man has been
described as a gun enthusiast and is believed to have suffered wounds from a
shotgun. A coroner has recorded a verdict of accidental death.
The inquest heard that the man picked up a shotgun and during an argument he
banged the weapon on the floor, for an unknown reason. The gun discharged
and he died from a gunshot wound to the groin (BBC, 22 May 2008).
Press Association,
5 January 2008
Police arrested two men in
London's Trafalgar Square on suspicion of possessing an
imitation firearm. Armed response officers had stopped and
searched a group of four youths.
Lancashire Evening Post,
5 January 2008
A group of three teenagers fired
a ball-bearing gun at a bus as it waited
at a stop in Bamber Bridge. The blast of the pellet made a hole
in a window. Several passengers were on the bus but escaped uninjured.
BBC,
5 January 2008 *
Three teenagers have been
charged after a firearm was allegedly discharged outside a house in the
Grangetown area of Middlesbrough.
This is Slough,
4 January 2008
Three people were held at
gunpoint when a masked robber, armed with a shotgun, forced his way into a
pub in Slough. Staff were ordered to open the safe and hand
over two days worth of takings, thought to be thousands of pounds.
Swindon Advertiser,
4 January 2008
A group of new age travellers
camped on the edge of Highworth, Wiltshire, were subjected to an
attack with what they believe was an air rifle.
The shooting happened when they set up camp last month.
Lancashire Evening Post,
4 January 2008
Damage estimated at £5000 has
been caused to new street lights in Heysham by vandals firing
air rifles.
Express & Star,
4 January 2008
A gunman opened fire in a
residential street in Woodsetton in Dudley in the West Midlands,
leaving a man with head and stomach injuries. The injuries are not
thought to be life threatening. The victim was threatened by two men
who demanded his briefcase.
BBC,
4 January 2008
Five people were arrested by
police investigating gang crime in London. Two guns were seized, one
after a handgun was found near a car in Greenwich, south east London,
and two men and two women (all aged 19 or 20) were arrested after another
handgun was found in a car in Lewisham, south London.
BBC,
4 January 2008 *
Three women, two workers and a
customer, were threatened by a robber armed with a gun and knife during a
hold-up at a store in Colchester, Essex. The man escaped with a
three-figure-sum of money.
BBC,
4 January 2008
Three robbers held a
semi-automatic handgun to a takeaway worker's head in Atherton,
Greater Manchester. A colleague grabbed a broom and ran towards the
gang who then ran off, empty-handed.
Argus (Brighton),
4 January 2008
Pulborough Parish Council
has used its newsletter to highlight the potential risk of
ball bearing guns
following a series of shootings of people, homes and vehicles in and around
the village last year.
Bolton News,
3 January 2008
Barry Kirk was among a gang who
took a man's car in Bolton after threatening him with a gun in
October 2007 (see Incidents).
He also admitted being involved in other carjackings in Warrington
and Accrington. He pleaded guilty to three offences of
blackmail and three offences of possession of an
imitation firearm. Kirk will next appear in court in
February.
Birmingham Mail,
3 January 2008 *
A man was shot in a street near
Handsworth Cemetery in Birmingham. He was hit three times after
the gunman shunted his car from behind in what may have been meant to look
like a minor road crash. Police discovered the victim lying in the
middle of the road. He was taken hospital, treated and released a few
days later.
Wiltshire Times & Chippenham News,
2 January 2008
An apparent argument over a girl
ended with a teenager being shot with an air rifle
in Calne. An 18-year-old man was arrested on firearms offences.
Watford Observer,
2 January 2008
Four men were arrested when
armed police went to a stretch of canal in Rickmansworth,
Hertfordshire, following reports of an assault. One man was arrested
on suspicion of assault and possession of an
imitation firearm in a public place and another was arrested on
suspicion of possessing a firearm (an air weapon).
Rochdale Observer,
2 January 2008
A man has been charged with a
firearms offence after an air rifle was
pointed at staff at Rochdale Infirmary. The incident occurred
at the hospital's accident and emergency department. No-one was
injured and the weapon was not fired.
BBC,
1 January 2008
A murder inquiry is under way
after a triple shooting in Cheetham Hill, Greater Manchester. One
of the victims died and the other two were injured, one seriously. A
fourth man who was in a car with the other three escaped uninjured.
The victims were shot at by at least one gunman on foot.
BBC,
1 January 2008
A man was in a serious condition
in hospital after being shot in the back in Stretford, Greater
Manchester. A few hours later police officers stopped a car in
Fallowfield and arrested four men on suspicion of attempted murder.
SCOTLAND
Daily Record,
29 January 2008
Pupils were evacuated from a
primary school in Easterhouse, Glasgow, after two holdalls containing
10 pistols and rifles were found in a gym cupboard along with balaclavas,
ski masks, camouflage gear and white gloves. Police inquiries
are continuing. Police have confirmed that the guns were children's
toys.
Scotland on Sunday,
27 January 2008
A gunman is being hunted after
he fled empty-handed after attempting rob a newsagents in Pollok,
Glasgow.
Evening News,
26 January 2008
An 18-year-old girl was shot in
the face with a pellet gun during a
drive-by shooting in Portobello. The shot hit her on the lip.
She was left in shock.
Evening News,
26 January 2008
A soldier who couldn't keep up
with his colleagues whilst training sparked a police alert when he was
spotted walking past house in the Juniper Green area of Edinburgh
carrying a rifle. He had decided to walk back to the barracks taking a
short cut. The incident was described by the Army as "an error of
judgement".
BBC,
24 January 2008
A man has appeared in court on a
charge of being in possession of a handgun on the A74(M) motorway in
Dumfriesshire.
Greenock Telegraph,
23 January 2008
A 14-year-old girl was hit in
the arm when an airgun sniper shot at
her near Coves Reservoir in Gourock. Two teenage boys who were
with her were also targeted but were unhurt.
BBC,
23 January 2008 *
A man was being treated for
gunshot wounds after he was shot following a disturbance in Blantyre,
Lanarkshire. His condition is described as stable. The attack is
being treated as attempted murder. A man has admitted a charge of
attempted murder and a firearms offence (see
June 2008 Incidents).
ic Renfrewshire,
22 January 2008
A "high-spirited" man who was
believed to be brandishing a pistol and threatened to shoot armed police was
paralysed with a stun gun during a showdown in a housing scheme in
Ferguslie Park, Paisley. A man is due to appear in court in
connection with the incident. The firearm appears to have been a
blank-firing pistol (ic Renfrewshire,
25 January 2008).
Evening Express
(Aberdeen),
19 January 2008
An
airgun pellet may have caused almost £100 worth of damage to
the window of a house in Peterhead.
BBC,
18 January 2008
James Kerr, 18, will serve at
least 13 years in jail for the murder of a grandfather whom he repeatedly
shot in the head with his airgun.
The murder took place at the home of the victim, a pensioner aged 72, in
Winchburgh, West Lothian in August 2007 (see
Incidents).
Barrhead News,
17 January 2008
The paper has launched a
campaign to rid the streets of Barrhead of
airguns after a number of incidents in the town.
Residents have claimed that a local shop is still selling
BB guns to children under the age of 14.
Evening Times,
16 January 2008
A number of men have been jailed
for their part in the murder of a man who was killed with a sawn-off shotgun
in Rigside, Lanarkshire, in January 2007 (see
Incidents). John Graham, who pulled
the trigger, was given a minimum sentence of 18 years. James Duncan,
who ordered the murder, was jailed for 17 and a half years and Russell
Dewar, who supplied the gun, for at least 12 years. A fourth man,
Scott Percy, who gave an account of the execution was jailed for four years
and eight months for culpable homicide. The reason for the murder may
have related to disputes over lucrative "cannabis farms".
Dumbarton & Vale of Leven Reporter,
15 January 2008 *
Gordon Brown pulled out an
imitation gun in the grounds of a hospital
in Dumbarton after being confronted by two police officers in October
2007. He was drunk at the time and refused to put down the weapon when
requested even when told that the officers would use CS gas. Brown
admitted having a firearm or imitation firearm in his possession with intent
to cause the officers to believe that unlawful violence would be used
against them. Brown expressed his remorse in letters to the police
victims. He was placed on probation for a year and order to carry out
120 hours of community service (Dumbarton Reporter, 25 March 2008).
BBC,
12 January 2008
A property was searched in
Easterhouse, Glasgow, after reports that an
airgun had been fired from a window.
East Lothian Courier,
11 January 2008
A children's play room window
was fired at in one of two airgun attacks on homes in North Berwick.
A high-powered air rifle, thought to be
of .22 calibre, was used in the attacks. The properties appear to have
been randomly targeted by the suspects who were possibly travelling in a
car.
WALES
Daily Post,
29 January 2008
David Smith was given a
nine-month suspended prison sentence after admitting assault causing actual
bodily harm. There will be a two years supervision requirement and he
must attend a domestic violence programme. Smith, from Kinmel Bay
near Rhyl, shot his wife in the shoulder with an
airgun after a row in September 2007 (see
October 2007 Incidents). He claimed
he had been aiming at a magpie.
Daily Post,
25 January 2008
A former head of a police
firearms unit is claiming he was unfairly sacked by North Wales Police after
he pleaded guilty in January 2007 to having ammunition he was not licensed
to keep. Neil Smith, who had held a gun licence since 1974, was given
a 12-month conditional discharge after the professional standards unit found
40 rounds of .22-calibre "stinger" ammunition designed to expand on impact
at his home in Rhuddlan.
South Wales Evening Post,
21 January 2008
A gun-toting youth has
caused residents of Gwendraeth, Carmarthenshire, to fear for
their safety after firing an airgun
in a park. A bulb has been smashed after a shot was fired at a
lamp post.
South Wales Echo,
17 January 2008
A taxi driver narrowly escaped
injury when someone took a potshot at his cab as he was driving between
Aberfan and Troedyrhiw. He was showered in the shattered
glass of the driver's window. He believes an
air rifle was used.
Glamorgan Gazette,
17 January 2008
Vandals shot at a car with a
pellet gun as a woman drove home from work
near Pencoed. The victim says she was terrified by the attack.
South Wales Echo,
15 January 2008
A man armed with an
imitation gun attempted to steal cash from
a bookmaker in Whitchurch, Cardiff. He was foiled by an
assistant who spotted it was not a real gun.
Evening Leader,
7 January 2008
A man was arrested after police
received a report that he had entered a pub in Bagillt with a
firearm. He apparently made threats and then left the pub.
Daily Post,
5 January 2008
David Davies from Rhyl
admitted having two .22 rifles and ammunition without the proper
documentation in July 2007 as well as the illegal possession of an
air rifle. The case was adjourned
for sentence.
INCIDENTS INVOLVING ANIMALS
Rhondda Leader,
31 January 2008
An
airgun attack has left a family cat from Tylorstown
needing surgery after a pellet was lodged in his spine. It was not
possible to remove the pellet but the cat is making a reasonable recovery.
Sunderland Echo,
30 January 2008 *
A £500 reward is being offered
for any information leading to a successful prosecution of the person
responsible for the death of a swan in Hetton Lyons Country Park in
Wearside. The swan was floating in a lake. A vet's report showed
that the fatal head wound was consistent with a pellet from a
ball bearing gun. A total of five
swans were discovered dead or seriously injured in the park during January
and February 2008 (Shields Gazette, 5 March 2008).
Scunthorpe Telegraph,
28 January 2008
A family's pet cat has died
after being shot through the spine with an air
rifle in Scunthorpe. One pellet became lodged in her
back and another in her stomach.
Evening News (Norwich),
19 January 2008
Treatment for a cat who was left
for dead after being shot with an airgun
close to Mousehold Heath in Norwich in July 2007 has cost the RSPCA
£1,500. He is now on the road to recovery. Mousehold Heath has
been the site of youngsters spotted playing war games with imitation guns.
Worcester News,
17 January 2008
Gary Childe shot his dog four
times with an air rifle after hitting it
with a saucepan. He has been given four months in jail for causing
'incredible cruelty' to his pet. The incident occurred in May 2007 in
his garden in Stourport-on-Severn when Childe got home from the pub
to find his pet having a fit in the back garden. The dog was put to
sleep at a vets when Childe claimed it had been attacked by his other dog.
Malvern Gazette,
17 January 2008
A kitten was found lying injured
in a box in the garden of his home in Malvern. She had been
shot with an airgun leaving a pellet
lodged near her spine. It is thought that someone may simply have used
the kitten for target practice. The kitten is slowly recovering.
Mansfield Chad,
15 January 2008
A cat is recovering after
being shot in an airgun attack in
the area of its home in Mansfield. Vets removed a pellet
from its flank.
Bucks Free Press,
10 January 2008
A cat was shot in the chest
with an air rifle in Chalfont St
Peter. The pellet became lodged on the opposite side of her
chest, and vets said that it was "a miracle" the pellet missed all of
her major organs.
This is Cheshire,
4 January 2008
A cat sustained a wound at the
base of his tail after being shot with a high powered gun in Great Sankey.
This is Wiltshire,
3 January 2008
A pet cat from Trowbridge
has been shot in the neck with an air rifle.
It is the second time in the last few months that she has been targeted.
