JANUARY 2009
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
Sky TV,
31 January 2009 *
A man has been shot dead in a
street in the Fazakerley area of Liverpool. One resident
reported hearing five gunshots, followed by shouting and screaming.
The victim is reported to have only recently been released from jail after
serving part of a sentence for wounding, possessing a firearm with intent
and dangerous driving following a shooting in Liverpool in February 2003 (Click
Liverpool, 1 February 2009). The police are offering a £10,000
for information that leads to the identification and prosecution of the
killers who were armed with a shotgun
(Click Liverpool, 3 February 2009). A man has been arrested
on suspicion of murder (BBC, 1 April 2009). A second man has
been arrested on suspicion of murder (BBC, 19 January 2010).
Peterlee Mail,
31 January 2009
Police uncovered a stun gun
which they say could be 'potentially lethal in the wrong hands' during
early-morning drug raids in Hartlepool. Six people were
arrested for a string of different offences.
Sky TV,
30 January 2009
A 14-year-old boy has been
given an 18-month detention and training order for storing a gun,
silencers and ammunition at home in New Cross, south east London.
At the time of his arrest he was 13, the youngest person to be arrested by
the Metropolitan Police for gun possession.
Melton Times,
30 January 2009
A suspected firearm was found
at a pub in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, after reports of an
altercation at the premises. Four men, including one teenager, were
arrested in connection with the incident.
Maidenhead Advertiser,
30 January 2009
Paul Badham was suicidal when
he terrified passers-by in Cippenham, Berkshire, by thrusting a
replica handgun in their faces in May 2008 (see
Incidents). He
has been jailed for two years and nine months.
East London and West Essex Guardian,
30 January 2009
Five men and two women have
been sentenced after they were convicted of a linked string of offences
dating back to 2006. Edward Levy and Mark Vernage threatened staff at a
bank in Loughton, Essex, in April 2007 and escaped with £200,000.
The robbery had involved one member of staff, Shilpa Patel. Levy and
Vernage also threatened a cash delivery drivers with a firearm in
Romford and Harold Hill, east London, where bank staff were
also threatened. They also threatened a security guard in South
Woodford, north east London, in February 2007 (see
2007 Incidents).
Vernage also threatened staff at a store in Romford with a loaded
semi-automatic handgun and silencer. He was able to leave the
premises with the help of a security guard, Trusha Patel, but police
arrested him outside the store. Vernage was convicted of conspiracy
to rob, conspiracy to use firearms, robbery offences and having a firearm
with intent to commit robbery, and has been given a 14 year jail sentence.
Levy was convicted of robbery having a firearm with intent to commit
robbery, possessing a prohibited firearm and possessing ammunition without
a firearm certificate and was sentenced to 21 years. Shilpa Patel
and Trusha Patel both received 10 year sentences. Nittin Patel,
Nicholas Drakou and Abdulhamed Eldow were sentenced to 10 years, 14 years
and 3 years for their roles in the robberies.
Daily Mail,
30 January 2009
Henry Rockson has been given a
12-year jail sentence for a series of robberies. At a bookmakers in
Oldham, Greater Manchester, in August 2008 (see
Incidents)
he had walked in armed with a ball bearing gun
but was tackled by a pensioner who forced him into a headlock. The
man was hit on the head at least twice with the butt of the gun and
Rockson escaped. By the time he was caught by police he had robbed
up to 17 shops, newsagents and off-licences at gunpoint across Greater
Manchester and in Dulwich, south London. The gun he used
was found to be incapable of firing. He admitted 20 offences
including robbery, attempted robbery and having an imitation firearm with
intent and handling stolen goods. He asked for 13 other offences to
be taken into account.
Community News,
30 January 2009
A man was hit in the face with
shotgun pellets in a park in St
Helens, Merseyside. He was taken to hospital with minor injuries
and has since been discharged.
BBC, 30 January 2009
James Hall has been jailed for
four-and-a-half years after admitting robbing a post office in Thorpe
St Andrew, Norwich, in September 2008 and possessing an
imitation gun. He had pointed the
gun at staff and forced the postmaster to hand over cash.
BBC, 30 January 2009
Two police officers were shot
at in an alleyway in Kings Heath, Birmingham, after coming across
an armed raid at a building society. The officers were going to the
aid of two security guards making a delivery to the premises.
BBC, 30 January 2009
A house in Birkenhead,
Merseyside, was damaged when gunshots were fired at the property.
No-one was injured but a window was smashed.
Wharfedale & Airedale Observer,
29 January 2009
A
shotgun was stolen from a parked car in Menston, West
Yorkshire. Thieves smashed through the car window. Police have
not revealed whether the gun was licensed or whether it was left on show.
Liverpool Echo,
29 January 2009
Andrew Billows, 19, was caught
with a sawn-off shotgun and £11000
worth of cocaine at his home in Huyton, Merseyside. Police
also found 9mm Luger cartridges. An air
rifle and an imitation handgun
were also found but later ruled not to be prohibited. Billows
told police he was ordered to hide the gun by his supplier. He
admitted possessing the firearm, two counts of possessing ammunition
together with drug offences and has been jailed for six years.
Gazette (Gloucestershire),
29 January 2009
A cannabis factory and a
handgun were discovered in the roof of a property in Thornbury,
Gloucestershire. A man was arrested and released on bail pending
further inquiries.
Evening Gazette,
29 January 2009
A 17-year-old youth was hit
with an airgun pellet as he was
walking home in Middlesbrough. He felt a pain in his right
hand and later had an airgun pellet removed in hospital.
BBC,
29 January 2009 *
A man has been found dead in a
field by police investigating a shooting in Brewood, Staffordshire.
Officers who were called to a nearby house found a woman there who had been shot twice.
She has been taken to hospital but her injuries are not believed to be
life threatening. A gun was recovered from the scene where the man's
body was discovered. Police are not looking for anyone else in
connection with the shooting. The dead man had been arrested in
December 2008 and charged with firearms offences, possessing a
shotgun with intent to cause fear of
violence and being drunk in possession of a loaded firearm. He was
on bail and had been ordered not to contact the injured woman (BBC,
3 February 2009).
BBC,
29 January 2009 *
Two men brandishing pistols
have held up a post office on the outskirts of Harrogate, north
Yorkshire. They escaped with cash from the till. Two men have
been jailed for six years for this and another robbery in Harrogate in
February 2009. The weapon was an imitation
handgun (see July
2009 Incidents).
BBC,
29 January 2009
A man is in a serious
condition after being shot by a police officer during an operation in
Palmers Green, north London. The incident occurred as police stopped
two cars during a pre-planned operation. Five men have been arrested
on suspicion of conspiracy to rob. The man's injuries are not
thought to be life-threatening.
Kent News,
28 January 2009
An
airgun worth £250 and some pellets, together with a chain saw,
were stolen from a car parked at a pub in Bethersden, Kent.
The Gazette (Blackpool),
28 January 2009
Four people, three men and a
teenage girl, have been arrested on suspicion of possible possession of a
firearm. The arrests followed reports that a tenant at a flat in
Blackpool had a firearm. Armed officers sealed of a street and a
team of specially trained officers talked all four people out of the flat.
Bucks Free Press,
28 January 2009
Ten people were arrested as
part of a police operation aimed at combating drugs and organised crime.
Among the items seized from seven properties in High Wycombe,
Buckinghamshire, was a ball-bearing gun.
Birmingham Mail,
28 January 2009
A man was terrorised at
gunpoint during an incident in Smethwick, West Midlands. The
victim had confronted youths over airgun
pellets being fired in the area.
Birmingham Mail,
28 January 2009
A 17-year-old has been given
an indeterminate sentence after he admitted possessing a gun and
ammunition with intent to endanger life. He had tried to flee police
who tried to stop him in Handsworth Wood, Birmingham. He was
subdued with a Taser stun gun and officers then found that a shoulder bag
he was carrying contained a blank firing pistol
illegally converted into a working gun, loaded with ten bullets, and a
silencer. The teenager had been given a conditional discharge when
he was 16 after police found another gun under his pillow at his home.
BBC,
28 January 2009
Kevin Burbidge shot his mother
several times in the head with a handgun and then shot and killed their four dogs before
setting fire to their home in Hamworthy, Dorset, in March 2008 (see
April 2008 Incidents).
He tried to shoot himself with a shotgun
but could not fire the trigger and gave himself up to police while
still in possession of the firearms. The shooting happened after
bailiffs called to start an eviction process. Burbidge admitted
murder, two counts of unlawfully possessing firearms (handguns) and one charge of
possessing ammunition without a licence. He has been ordered to
serve a minimum of 10 years. Burbidge, who has been described as a
gun fanatic, claimed his mother had asked him to shoot her (Guardian,
28 January 2009).
BBC,
27 January 2009 *
A man was seriously injured
when he was shot in the bottom in Bradford. Police have said
it was a targeted attack. The victim's injuries are not thought to
be life threatening. Seven people, aged between 12 and 22, have been
questioned and released on bail in relation to the shooting (BBC, 11
February 2009).
BBC,
27 January 2009 *
Two men with a firearm burst
into a post office in Elwick, Hartlepool, and fled with cash.
Detectives believe the raid has links to similar incidents in County Durham
(see March 2009 Incidents).
BBC,
27 January 2009
An armed robber with what is
believed to have been a black handgun held up a bank in the centre of
Gloucester. He made off with some cash. Two men have been
arrested on suspicion of carrying out the robbery (BBC, 28 January
2009).
BBC,
27 January 2009
Leighton Cohen, 21, has been
sentenced to life for shooting dead a man in a pub in Wolverhampton
in March 2008 (see Incidents).
He pleaded guilty and will serve a minimum term of 23 years. Michael
Stubbs admitted assisting an offender and other offences and was sentenced
to four-and-a-half years in jail.
This is Local London,
25 January 2009 *
A 14-year-old boy was shot in
the head and a 16-year-old was later discovered with a firearm wound to
the arm in Tulse Hill, south London. Both were in a stable
condition. The police do not yet know what type of firearm was used.
Ripley & Heanor News,
25 January 2009
The driver of a van was held
up at gunpoint by another motorist with a handgun in Alfreton,
Derbyshire. The police are describing the incident as attempted
armed robbery.
BBC,
25 January 2009
A car passenger was threatened
with a gun in an attempted robbery outside a shop in Blackburn,
Lancashire. He was approached by two men who fled empty handed.
The police said they believed the man and his colleague were collecting
takings from the shop and were deliberately targeted.
The Journal,
24 January 2009
A .22
air rifle was among items that were stolen when thieves broke
into a garage at Wynyard, County Durham.
BBC,
24 January 2009
A shop worker was threatened
with a gun during a raid on a shop in Gorton, Manchester. The
worker activated the alarm and the robber ran off empty-handed.
BBC,
24 January 2009
Three men broke into a cash
handling centre in Beaumont Leys, Leicester, with a stolen JCB and
stole money after threatening staff with a gun. A £50,000 reward is
being offered for information on the raid (BBC, 27 January 2009).
Telegraph,
23 January 2009
A ex-councillor is on trial
facing eight counts of possessing illegal firearms. His wife found
the guns, including a silver revolver, two pistols and a spy-style "tube
gun" that resembled a pen, at their home in Hythe, Kent, whilst
they were going through a divorce. After the police had been called
they also found a CS gas canister in his loft. In court his wife
said that he had "always liked guns" and used to carry the pen-gun with
him on the London Underground. The trial continues.
Northern Echo,
23 January 2009
Andrew Usher, a convicted drug
dealer and money launderer, has been stripped of all his assets after a
court ruled that he had illegally earned £171,060. In March 2005
drugs and cash were recovered from his home in Beechwood,
Middlesbrough, as well as a pistol and ammunition and a stun gun. He
admitted purchasing the pistol whilst on holiday and said that he had found the
stun gun in his partner's car. He had been sentenced to 12 months
for possession of the weapons in September 2006 after pleading
guilty.
Lancashire Evening Post,
23 January 2009
Local residents are concerned
about a new cycle route around Preston because it is thought it could
bring further troublemaking to the area. In one case an
air rifle was shot through the window
of a home in Fulwood.
Bolton News,
23 January 2009
Sean Daly has been jailed for
14 weeks after pleading guilty to theft, possessing an illegal weapon (a
Taser) and breaching his bail. Daly bought the stun gun whilst on
bail and had the weapon on him when arrested for a fight at a bar in
Leigh, Greater Manchester, in December 2007.
BBC,
23 January 2009
A woman was hit on her arm
with a pellet fired from an airgun as
she was walking in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. Shortly
afterwards a man walking in the same area was hit in the foot.
BBC,
23 January 2009
A man suffered gunshot wounds
to his hand and shoulder in an incident in Hockley, West Midlands.
He was in a "comfortable condition" in hospital.
Reading Evening Post,
22 January 2009
A man from Whitley,
Berkshire, has appeared in court accused of possessing a
double-barrelled shotgun and cocaine and
cannabis.
Get Reading,
22 January 2009
A 15-year-old boy from
Burghfield Common, Reading, has been charged with possessing a firearm
(a BB air weapon), beating up five
people and intimidating witnesses. The beating and firearm
possession charges date from August 2008. He has denied all the
charges and the case has been adjourned.
Gazette & Herald,
22 January 2009
Armed police went to a college
campus in Chippenham, Wiltshire, and detained a 17-year-old who had
concealed an imitation gun in his trousers. The weapon was found to
be a BB gun and the teenager was
cautioned. The college has refused to say whether the student has
been suspended over the incident.
BBC,
22 January 2009
Thieves stole four
shotguns and a sports car as well as
other items during a break-in at a house in Rolleston,
Nottinghamshire. The guns were taken from a gun cabinet in the
house.
BBC,
22 January 2009
A man was arrested on
suspicion of making threats to kill after armed officers were called to a
house in Didcot, Oxfordshire. No weapons were seen but there
were allegations that the man had firearms in the house.
BBC,
22 January 2009
Three shots were fired at an
empty car in Crosby, Liverpool. Officers found the damaged
car after a member of the public reported hearing gunshots in the area.
A petrol bomb was found nearby.
Barking & Dagenham
Recorder,
22 January 2009
Dennis Ellis brandished an
airgun at a female paramedic before
stealing and crashing an ambulance following a suicide bid at his home in
Dagenham, east London, in September 2008 (see
Incidents). A second airgun was
discovered at his home. Ellis admitted possessing an imitation
firearm with intent to cause fear or violence and aggravated vehicle
taking. He was jailed for three years and the judge ordered the
destruction of the two airguns.
West Sussex County Times,
21 January 2009
Police officers seized a
CO2-powered
ball-bearing gun after an incident in Crawley, Sussex.
A 17-year-old was charged with possession of an imitation firearm with
intent to cause fear or violence and possession of an imitation firearm in
a public place. A second teenager has been bailed and a third
teenager was released without charge.
St Albans & Harpenden
Review, 21 January 2009
A woman accused of inciting a
mass brawl outside a flat in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, in November
2007, in which two people were stabbed, claims it happened after an
air rifle was held to her four-year-old
daughter's head by a man who lived at the flat. The man, Reuben
Ngharo, has already pleaded guilty to two counts of wounding with intent.
He had attempted to ward off a group including the woman by threatening
with an air rifle and had also produced two kitchen knives. The
trial continues.
Shields Gazette,
21 January 2009
Six bus shelters in
Whitburn, County Durham, have been vandalised. It is believed
that airguns were used to shoot out
the glass. It is the second attack in five months.
The Citizen
(Chorley), 21 January 2009
A man is believed to have shot
himself at a beauty spot in Rivington, Lancashire. He was found
dead in his vehicle in a car park. Police believe he had been
involved in an argument before driving to the car park. They added
that they believed the dead man was registered to possess firearms.
BBC,
21 January 2009
Four people were arrested
after police sealed off a street in Hull and searched a building.
The men were arrested in connection with a shooting incident earlier in
the week in which a man suffered a stomach wound. His condition is
not thought to be life-threatening (BBC, 20 January 2009). A
total one nine people have been arrested and three, two men and a woman
have been charged with violent disorder (BBC, 22 January 2009).
BBC,
21 January 2009
A man has been shot in the leg
in West Bromwich, West Midlands, after refusing to hand over his
watch. The victim was sitting in a parked car at the time of the
robbery.
London Informer,
20 January 2009
Three robberies in which guns
were brandished have taken place in North Kensington, west London.
Two off-licences have been robbed: during one of the robberies shots were
fired at the cashier. A gun was pointed in a man's face as robbers
stole his car whilst he pumped air into the tyres in Ladbroke Grove.
BBC,
20 January 2009
Michael Arthur and Sheffick
Hassan have received sentences of 10 years and seven years after an armed
robbery at a building society in Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, in July
2008. Both men had denied robbery and possession an
imitation firearm but were convicted.
BBC,
20 January 2009
Two men have been arrested in
connection with a major drugs and firearms investigation. Both men
were arrested in Scotland and will be questioned in Preston,
Lancashire.
BBC,
20 January 2009
A masked youth aimed a gun at
a female shop assistant in Bootle, Liverpool, during a robbery at a
newsagents in which just three packets of sweets were stolen. One of
four youths tried to open the tills but fled when he failed to get the
cash.
Louth Leader,
19 January 2009 *
A man who received a
shotgun injury at his home in Gayton
le Marsh, Lincolnshire, died in hospital. A woman has been
arrested and bailed until March. The death has been recorded as
suicide by the district coroner (Louth Leader, 3 August 2009).
Fleetwood Weekly News,
19 January 2009
Staff at a travel agents in
Atherton, Greater Manchester, were held at gunpoint by a raider who
made off with cash. A dye pack among the money exploded.
Northern Echo,
18 January 2009
A petrol station in
Middlesbrough was robbed by a gunman believed to be just 16-years-old.
He demanded money from the female cashier and a sum of money was stolen.
This is Gloucestershire,
17 January 2009
Peter Marden sparked a
four-hour siege when he threatened to blow up his home in Tredworth,
Gloucester, in October 2008 (see
Incidents). He pointed an
air rifle at his own son during the
incident. He has been jailed for eight months after he admitted
having an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
News & Star,
17 January 2009
Steven Hodgson roamed the
streets of Cleator Moor, Cumbria, armed with an
air pistol and stun gun. He had
been banned from ever owning guns after serving eight years in prison for
robbery with a sawn-off shotgun nearly twenty years ago, but he kept a
collection of air weapons at his home. He was arrested after
pointing the unloaded air pistol and pretending to fire it at a man who
was walking home from the pub. Hodgson pleaded guilty to possessing
the air pistol with intent to cause fear of violence, possessing the
illegal stun gun and possessing the air rifles when banned from doing so
because of his previous conviction. He has been sent to prison for
three-and-a-half years.
Liverpool Echo,
17 January 2009
Adam Bentley was caught with a
stun gun when he fell out with his partner and the police was called to
their home in Stockbridge Village, Merseyside, in December 2008.
His former girlfriend handed over a gas canister for the weapon and the
gun was later recovered from Bentley. He had bought the gun for his
girlfriend for £70 on the internet so she could defend herself. He
admitted possessing the prohibited weapon and canister and was given a
50-week prison sentence, suspended for two years.
BBC,
17 January 2009
A man has been charged with
wounding and firearms offences. The charges relate to an attempted
murder in January 2004 when two men received back and knee injuries and
another man was hit in the leg in Oldbury, West Midlands.
BBC,
17 January 2009
A man has been shot in the leg
in Camberwell, south London. He remained in a stable
condition in hospital.
The Star,
16 January 2009
Three men who carried out a
series of armed raids in Sheffield have been sentenced to almost 50
years in total. Jason Mitchell was found guilty of conspiracy to
rob, possessing a shotgun with intent
to commit robbery and wounding and was jailed for 19 years. Wade
Magrim and James Deakin, who pleaded guilty before the trial, were jailed
for 16 years and 13 years, respectively. Another man was cleared of
all charges. Three raids were carried out in July 2008 and the men
stole a car, cash, mobile phones and cannabis from two of the addresses.
In the third raid a man was shot and the victim still has 19 pellets in
his foot.
BBC,
16 January 2009
A man put a gun against a
woman's face and pulled the trigger during a raid on a bookmakers in
Oldham, Greater Manchester. The gun was not loaded but the
victim was left "extremely distressed". Three men escaped with cash.
Press Association,
15 January 2009
Triston Walker has been found
guilty of killing a 17-year-old girl who was shot in the head at a party
in Tottenham, north London, in June 2007 (see
Incidents). He had claimed the gun
went off accidentally. Ricardo Lumsden, who rented a house for
Walker in Oxford, has been convicted of assisting an offender but a woman
and another man have been cleared of helping Walker escape (BBC, 16
January 2009). Walker has been jailed for life with a minimum of 27
years (BBC, 21 January 2009).
Norwich Evening News,
15 January 2009
Phillip Murphy and Andrew
Peters have been sentenced to three years and three years nine months,
respectively, after admitting possessing firearms and, in Peters' case,
assisting an offender. They were arrested and two loaded
shotguns were recovered after shots were
fired in a street in Norwich. A loaded single-barrelled
shotgun was found in the back of a car from which the shots were fired and
another loaded shotgun was found 15ft away.
Middleton Guardian,
15 January 2009
Police recovered a powerful
Colt AR15 semi-automatic air rifle and
a Brocock 'target trophy' air revolver,
both of which are prohibited weapons, at the home of Man San Chan in
Alkrington, Greater Manchester. Police were first alerted to
Chan after he was stopped in his car and they found an
imitation Walther P99
handgun in the glove compartment which
sparked a search of his home. A further three handguns were found.
Chan was given a five year sentence after pleading guilty to possessing two
unlicensed illegal firearms and a further 12 month sentence to run
concurrently for having an imitation firearm with him in a public place.
He had purchased the weapons between five and seven years ago after
developing an interest in weaponry.
Times (North London),
14 January 2009
Police are looking for a group
of teenagers who may have been threatened by a teenager wielding a
ball-bearing gun in North Finchley,
north London. A man was arrested shortly after the incident.
Sheffield Telegraph,
14 January 2009
Two men who took pot shots at
youths with BB guns have each been
ordered to carry out 140 hours community work. The boys were in
Adwick, South Yorkshire, when Luke Pawson fired at them from the car
driven by Anthony Coates. One of the boys was slightly hurt by a
plastic pellet. Both men pleaded guilty to affray and Pawson also
admitted assault causing actual bodily harm. Both men were also
given suspended jail sentences, nine months for Pawson and six months for
Coates.
Lincolnshire Echo,
14 January 2009
An
air rifle was stolen from a property in Metherington,
Lincolnshire, during a burglary in which a wallet and keys were also
taken.
Evening Standard,
14 January 2009
A man and a dog were shot in a
suspected gangland attack in Clapham, south London. The dog
was recovering in an animal hospital after an operation on its shattered
leg. The man was taken to hospital suffering from a gunshot injury
to the leg and was later released.
BBC,
14 January 2009 *
A man has been arrested in
connection with three armed robberies in Darlington, County Durham.
In one robbery a man with a handgun held up another man who had just left
a bank and an hour later an armed robber forced staff at a post office to
hand over money. A man has been jailed for nine years after
admitting using an imitation firearm
in the two robberies (see
August 2009 Incidents).
BBC,
14 January 2009
A man wearing a mask and armed
with a pistol attempted to rob a car wash in Harrogate, North
Yorkshire. He assaulted a member of staff after he refused to hand
over money. Another man was seen acting as a look-out.
The Argus,
14 January 2009
A traffic warden has had to
quit his job after a driver brandished a gun during a dispute over an
out-of-date permit in Hove, Sussex. According to the
prosecution Gary Hunnisett, a pest controller, threatened to gun down the
warden if he didn't move away from his work van. Police found the
van with a guncase containing a .22 air rifle
and a second air rifle in the back. Hunnisett later refused to
accept a police caution over the incident. He denied possessing a
firearm with intent to cause the warden to believe unlawful violence would
be used against him and threatening unlawful violence but pleaded guilty
to an alternative charge of affray. He was fined £200 and ordered to
pay £300 compensation and prosecution costs.
This is Kent,
13 January 2009
Stephen Dalligan has been
sentenced to 15 years in prison following a raid in Sittingbourne,
Kent, in May 2008 in which he stole £100,000 as security guards filled a
cash machine. He had denied robbery, possessing a firearm, false
imprisonment and concealing criminal property.
Oswestry and Border
Counties Advertiser,
13 January 2009
A Police Community Support
Officer, Steven Mellor, has been commended for disarming a man who
threatened him at gunpoint during an incident in Weston Rhyn,
Shropshire, in July 2007. A neighbour, who had made a nuisance of
himself, pointed a rifle in his face but after a struggle he was able to
overpower the gunman and restrain him until police arrived. The gun
was found to be an unloaded air rifle
with a telescopic sight. The gunman was arrested on suspicion of
possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and was later
given a nine month prison sentence, suspended for two years.
BBC,
13 January 2009
Police found a machine gun,
pistol and ammunition during a raid on a house in Wythenshawe,
Greater Manchester. A man has been charged with possessing
prohibited weapons and ammunition (BBC, 14 January 2009).
BBC,
13 January 2009
A woman robbed a petrol
station in Spaldwick, Cambridgeshire, after tricking staff by
pretending to be pregnant. She and a man entered the shop after she
asked to use the toilet but when she returned she pulled out a handgun and
threatened the female employee before tying her up. Two other men
then joined them and the gang escaped with cigarettes and cash.
BBC,
13 January 2009
Operation Argon, a month-long
police crackdown on the carrying on weapons on London streets
netted five guns and led to 50 arrests for a range of offences including
possession of offensive weapons, attempted murder and threats to kill.
BBC,
13 January 2009
A man was treated for cuts to
his head after he was struck by a small handgun during a burglary at his
house in Stoneleigh, Surrey. Three men had barged their way
into the property.
BBC,
13 January 2009
Carlton Sam has admitted
firearms offences but denies three counts of attempted murder. It is
alleged he opened fire at three police officers when he was stopped in
Manor House, north London, in March 2008 (see
Incidents). He was found guilty on
two counts of attempted murder and has been jailed for 30 years (BBC,
21 January 2009).
Swindon Advertiser,
12 January 2009
Police investigating calls
about a firearm attended a house in Toothill, Wiltshire. Two
people were arrested but no firearm was found in or around the property.
Mercury
(Hertfordshire),
12 January 2009 *
A man has appeared in court
charged with having an imitation firearm in a public place after allegedly
being in possession of an air pistol in
Turnford, Hertfordshire. He has pleaded not guilty. He
has been given a 12-month community order (see
October 2009 Incidents).
Liverpool Echo,
12 January 2009
Sixteen guns were recovered
from Croxteth and Norris Green last year. The weapons
(descriptions are those provided in the report) were four
shotguns, one sub-machine gun, three
Glock firearms, a handgun, a revolver, a rifle, four
blank-firing revolvers and a
ball-bearing gun. The report also
provided details of weapons seized from the areas in 2007 (17 weapons) and
2006 (9).
BBC,
12 January 2009
Gunshots were fired at a house
in Sarisbury Green, Hampshire, while two men and a teenage boy were
inside. The shots hit the front door and a vehicle in the driveway.
BBC,
12 January 2009
Two men threatened two female
workers with a gun during a raid on a betting shop in Ingol,
Lancashire.
BBC,
12 January 2009
A suspected burglar escaped
from a prison van when two men, one armed with a
shotgun, held up the van in Feltham, west London.
No shot were fired but the driver was treated for cuts and bruises.
Two other prisoners in the van were unhurt. The man has since been
recaptured (BBC, 16 January 2009).
BBC,
12 January 2009
A man threatened staff at a
bookmakers in Shrewsbury with what appeared to be a handgun and
demanded money but fled empty-handed. No-one was injured but a
member of staff was left shaken. Two men were arrested but later
released. CCTV images of the man have been released.
BBC,
11 January 2009
A man has been shot outside a
nightclub in the centre of Liverpool. He was taken to
hospital for treatment although his injuries are not thought to be
life-threatening.
BBC,
10 January 2009 *
A man threatened staff at a
post office in Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire, with a gun during an
armed robbery. He told them to hand over money and cigarettes.
A man has been jailed having admitted robbery and possessing an imitation
firearm with intent, a woman has denied the charges (see
February 2010 Incidents).
BBC,
10 January 2009
A 17-year-old gang member from
Merseyside who was filmed assembling a
shotgun for a BBC Panorama programme admitted possession of a
shotgun, a handgun and ammunition in December 2008 and will be sentenced
later this month. His claim that he was paid £50 by a leading figure
in the Marsh Gang to brandish guns to show off on behalf of the gang
on the programme is now being investigated by the police.
Press Association,
9 January 2009 *
The son of a village
postmaster has been shot dead during an armed robbery at the post office
and store in Fairfield, Worcestershire. The victim suffered
fatal chest injuries and his father was injured in the leg. The
three raiders were armed with a handgun and a sledgehammer. Three
men have been found guilty of murder and attempted murder, a fourth man
was cleared of both charges (see
December 2009 Incidents).
Liverpool Echo,
9 January 2009
Alan Roberts, 18, and Dean
Phelan, 21, were among seven masked thugs who forced their way into a
house in Huyton, Merseyside, and terrorised three children at
gunpoint. The gang fled from the house empty-handed except for a
teenage girl's mobile phone which was found in Phelan's pocket. They
have been convicted of attempted robbery, robbery and possessing an
imitation
firearm and given custodial sentences of six-and-a-half and nine years,
respectively.
Huddersfield Daily
Examiner,
9 January 2009
Amphetamines and a stun gun
were recovered by police during a raid on a property in Cleckheaton,
West Yorkshire. The raid was part of a joint operation between West
Yorkshire and Cheshire police. A woman has been arrested.
BBC,
9 January 2009
Two men have been charged with
grievous bodily harm, robbery and possessing a firearm. The charges
followed an incident when a woman suffered serious stab wounds when she
was attacked in Weymouth, Dorset.
BBC,
9 January 2009
A
shotgun has been stolen during a burglary at a property,
believed to be a farm, in Snelland, Lincolnshire. An amount
of cash was also taken.
BBC,
9 January 2009
A man forced his way into a
house in Whitehaven, Cumbria, and threatened the occupant with a
firearm. The victim was left with minor injuries and treated for
shock. Another man was later arrested. Police also retrieved a
firearm and experts are establishing whether or not it is a replica.
BBC,
9 January 2009
A man is apparently in a
serious condition in hospital after being shot by police at a house in
Brighouse, West Yorkshire. The police had been responding to a
999 call. The Independent Police Complaints Commission is
investigating. The IPCC confirmed that a sword had been found at the
house. A Taser stun gun was fired before the live rounds were fired
(BBC, 10 January 2009).
This is Surrey Today,
8 January 2009
Police are hunting a gunman
who shot at a van in Dorking, Surrey. Shots were fired from
an airgun a number of times making
dents in the side of the vehicle and smashing a window.
Telegraph & Argus,
8 January 2009
A man from Bradford who
pointed an air rifle at his teenage
daughter as she sat in a car with her sister and mother has pleaded guilty
to possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. The
man, who was described by the judge as a "sick, drunken cowardly father",
had taken the weapon from a shed. He was given a 12-month prison
sentence, suspended for two years, coupled with a two-year supervision
order.
BBC,
8 January 2009
Two men armed with a
shotgun robbed a security guard
delivering a cash box to a bank in Clacton. They escaped with
"a substantial sum of money".
BBC,
8 January 2009
Three men carrying a gun, a
piece of wood and a sledgehammer burst into a shop in Cippenham,
Slough in Berkshire. They stole an undisclosed amount of cash.
This is Cornwall,
7 January 2009
A 14-year-old girl was shot in
the arm as homes and cars were fired at with an
airgun on an estate in Truro, Cornwall. Police
have seized one of the guns, believed to have been given as a Christmas
present, but are concerned another may also have been used.
Southern Daily Echo,
7 January 2009
A suspected gunman has been
arrested after armed police were called to flats in Southampton by
a resident who said he had been threatened with a firearm. No trace
of a gun was found but a man is in custody.
Daily Mirror,
7 January 2009
Photographer Andy Morant has
been given a suspended jail sentence for having an illegal firearm, a Colt
45. The weapon was found after his ex-wife told the police following
a domestic incident at his home in Rainham, Kent. He told the
court the gun was a prop he used in pictures. Explaining why Morant
was not given the mandatory five year sentence the judge said that he had
no ammunition for the gun and that "I accept your intent was not
malevolent and you did not know possession was illegal".
BBC,
7 January 2009
A betting shop in Brighton
was targetted by a man who showed what is believed to be a handgun to
staff and demanded money. The police are investigating whether a
ball-bearing gun found in the Old
Steine area was connected with the raid.
BBC,
7 January 2009
Armed police were called to an
apartment block in Hatherleigh, Devon, after reports that a man,
believed to be armed with an airgun,
had been making threats. A man has been arrested on
suspicion of making threats to kill, arson and harassment (Fleetwood
Weekly News, 8 January 2009).
BBC,
7 January 2009 *
A man has been charged
following a 36-hour armed siege at a house in Hindley, Greater
Manchester. He was charged with false imprisonment, possessing an
imitation firearm and threats to commit
criminal damage. He has been sent to a mental hospital indefinitely
because he poses a risk to the public (see
February 2010 Incidents).
BBC,
7 January 2009
A man was shot in the leg
during an incident in Sharrow, Sheffield. The police said he suffered "non life-threatening" injuries.
Yorkshire Evening Post,
6 January 2009 *
Reigo Jones, who was part of
an organised gang from Estonia that carried out multi-million pound raids
on jewellers across Europe, has admitted two counts of robbery and two of
possessing an imitation firearm. The gang had targetted premises in
Leeds and Manchester. After a raid in April 2006 in
Leeds their weapons were dropped which allowed police to identify they
were BB guns. Jones was caught
through DNA matches and was brought back to the UK and admitted the
crimes. He was sentenced to 12 years to run concurrently for each
robbery charge and five years to run concurrently for each firearms
offence. Another member of the gang, Ivo Parn, has been jailed for
10 years (Yorkshire Evening Post, 2 May 2009).
Times,
6 January 2009
A woman has been charged with
murder after her husband was shot twice in the chest with a
shotgun while he lay in bed at their
cottage in Wellow, Isle of Wight. The woman is reported to be
a clay pigeon shooting enthusiast who took her gun and ammunition from
locked cabinets before shooting her husband. She has been remanded
in custody.
Telegraph & Argus,
6 January 2009
Three shots were fired through
the window of a house in Thornbury, Bradford. A family were
asleep upstairs at the time and although uninjured were badly shaken.
The motive for the attack is not known.
Burton Mail,
6 January 2009
Steven Fisher who bought a
lethal, high-powered air rifle "to
shoot rats" has been jailed for nine months after admitting possessing an
illegal firearm. The gun was seized during the execution of a
warrant at his home in Tamworth, Staffordshire, in connection with
a domestic incident. The gun had been purchased from the
Donington Market where it had been sold with a telescopic sight and
silencer. The recorder told him "The sort of weapon you purchased is
one that can cause lethal harm to humans, that's why there is a law that
absolutely prohibits possession of such a weapon without authorisation".
BBC,
6 January 2009
Armed raiders fired a gun
during an attempt to steal cash from a security van in Bramley,
Leeds. The two men approached the van which was being used to
re-stock cash machines but the security guard in the van fled into the
bank and the bank's doors were locked. The raiders fled
empty-handed.
BBC,
6 January 2009
Three men stole cash from a
pub in Sherwood, Nottingham, after threatening staff with a small,
black handgun. No one was injured but members of staff were left
shaken.
BBC,
6 January 2009
An armed man who barricaded
himself into a flat with his children in Gleadless, Sheffield, has
been found dead. Police said a weapon thought to be a
shotgun had been fired at officers, but
nobody was hurt. A firearm was found next to the man's body.
The incident has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints
Commission. Their initial assessment has found no evidence of
criminal or misconduct matters involving any police officers (BBC,
7 January 2009).
BBC,
6 January 2009
A man armed with a white
Uzi-style gun has stolen about £1,000 from a bank in Headington,
Oxford. Staff did not believe the gun was genuine. The robbery
is being linked to other armed robberies in the locality, two at a betting
shop and two others at a wine merchant.
BBC,
5 January 2009 *
A robber armed with what is
thought to have been a revolved threatened staff and demanded money at a
cinema in Sapley, Huntingdon. The staff said they could not
get into the tills and the man fled when the manager approached. A
man who was armed with an imitation gun
has been sent to prison for four years (see
July 2009 Incidents).
BBC,
5 January 2009
A man was shot in the leg in a
targeted attack in Speke, Merseyside.
Press Association,
4 January 2009
Two men were arrested when
police officers forced their way into a house in Wigan, Greater
Manchester, which was under siege for more than 36 hours. The men
have been arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm and remain in
custody. Neighbours said a woman managed to escape from the house
before the stand-off. One of the men has since been released without
charge (Bolton News, 5 January 2009). The other has been
charged with false imprisonment, possessing an
imitation firearm and threats to commit criminal damage (BBC,
7 January 2009).
Bolton News,
3 January 2009
A 14-year-old girl had to be
taken to hospital to have a pellet removed from her chin after she was
shot with a ball-bearing gun in
Bolton. She was attacked by three men, one of whom was carrying
the gun. The men stole her handbag.
BBC,
3 January 2009 *
Two men, aged 19 and 21, have
been charged with public order and firearms offences after a brawl in
Leeds. A gun had been fired during the disturbance though no-one
was hit by the round. Four teenage men have been arrested in Greater
Manchester in connection with the brawl (BBC, 20 February 2009).
A total of eight men have been given prison sentences, one of them for
offences that include firearm offences (see
September 2009 Incidents).
BBC,
3 January 2009 *
A man has died from a
shotgun wound in a flat in Stockton,
Teesside. The death is not being treated as suspicious but a man has
been arrested on suspicion of firearms offences. An inquest into the
death is expected to be opened and adjourned (Northern Echo, 5
January 2008). The coroner recorded a verdict that the man killed
himself (Evening Gazette, 19 December 2009).
Peterlee Mail,
2 January 2009
Armed police responding to
information have recovered two shotguns
which had been hidden in undergrowth in Wingate, County Durham.
BBC,
2 January 2009
A 19-year-old has been charged
with possessing an automatic firearm and ammunition after a street fight in
Aston, Birmingham. Two other men were arrested and released
on bail.
BBC,
2 January 2009
Three
shotguns and a carving knife were stolen during a burglary
in Middleton Cheney, Northamptonshire. The two Baikal
shotguns and one Sarrugarte shotgun were taken from inside a gun cabinet.
BBC,
1 January 2009
A man was in hospital after
being shot in the leg in Dudley, West Midlands. His injury is
not thought to be life threatening.
SCOTLAND
BBC,
26 January 2009
Two men stopped their car near
to two young girls then pointed a firearm at them. The incident
happened as the girls walked their dogs in Letham, Angus. The
girls were left alarmed and distressed by the incident.
Hamilton Advertiser,
22 January 2009 *
Michael Kemp and 17-year-old
Barry Little have admitted assaulting a member of staff during a raid on a
takeaway in Coalburn, South Lanarkshire, in September 2008.
They were armed with imitation guns.
Their victim was hit on the head with a pistol 10 times whilst they
demanded money. They stole between £500 to £800. Sentencing
was deferred.
BBC,
22 January 2009
A masked robber escaped with
hundreds of pounds of cash after a raid on a bookmakers in Hamilton,
South Lanarkshire. He had threatened a female member of staff with
what appeared to be a gun.
BBC,
17 January 2009 *
A man was in a serious
condition in hospital after he was shot in the head in the south side of
Edinburgh. He was discovered unconscious in a street by a
member of the public. The victim has since died (BBC, 18
January 2009). Police now fear the murder is part of a drugs war
between gangs from the Gilmerton and Granton districts of the city (Scotsman,
19 January 2009). A gun has been found by specialist officers in
nearby woodland (BBC, 17 March 2009). A man and a woman have
denied a charge of murder and firearm offences including possession of a
handgun. Another man faces two firearm charges (BBC, 2 October 2009).
BBC,
16 January 2009
Christopher Logan was jailed
for six years in 2008 after he admitted keeping a stolen army sub-machine
gun and ammunition which was found at his flat in Hanson Park,
Glasgow, in December 2007. The gun and ammunition had been stolen by
others from Catterick Barracks in Yorkshire. Logan has now
had four years added to his prison term for possession of illegal drugs.
Shetland News,
15 January 2009
Linas Aleksandravicius pleaded
guilty to culpably and recklessly discharging a firearm after he and some
friends had started shooting at tin cans on a fence with an
air rifle at his home in Lerwick
in September 2008. According to the procurator fiscal the men had
been drinking alcohol and neighbours were concerned that there were many
children in the area and pellets were being fired into nearby gardens.
Aleksandravicius was ordered to forfeit his rifle, telescopic sight and
ammunition and was fined £70, reduced from £750.
BBC,
14 January 2009
A stun gun was among items
seized from a house in Howdenhall, Edinburgh, where police found
£10,000 counterfeit DVDs, PS2 games and DVD burning towers. They also
found drugs, swords and knives.
Airdrie & Coatbridge
Advertiser,
14 January 2009
A 12-year-old boy was left
with red marks on his leg after being hit twice when teenagers fired a
BB gun at him in Airdrie town
centre.
Ayr Advertiser,
13 January 2009
Brian Strathearn, a serving
soldier, caused a major armed police and helicopter operation when he
opened fire with an air rifle across
the River Ayr in the vicinity of a park where families were
enjoying an afternoon out in May 2008. He admitted committing a
breach of the peace and putting members of the public in a state of fear
and alarm.
BBC,
12 January 2009
A youth attempted to rob a
bookmakers in Gilmerton, Edinburgh. He brandished what
appeared to be a firearm at a member of staff and demanded money, but fled
empty-handed.
BBC,
12 January 2009 *
Lorry driver Anthony McCrindle
from Leith has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm without the
appropriate certificate after being caught carrying a stun gun. He
claimed he had bought the weapon in Switzerland for self defence against
criminals. McCrindle, who has a previous conviction after being
caught with a stun gun two years ago, was fined £400 (Edinburgh Evening
News, 23 March 2009).
BBC,
12 January 2009
James Sneddon tried to kill an
innocent man just a week after he was released early from jail. He
and an accomplice fired at the front door of a house in Cardonald,
Glasgow, in January 2006 (see
Incidents) mistaking it for that belonging to another family
whom they were targeting. Sneddon who has already been jailed for
seven years threatening two policemen with a
shotgun, also in January 2006 (see
May 2006 Incidents)
was given a twelve year sentence after being convicted of attempted murder
and two firearms charges.
BBC,
8 January 2009
A man was robbed of cash in a
street in Paisley after a man threatened him with a firearm.
The robbery may be linked to another one that took place 45 minutes later
in Bridge of Weir.
WALES
BBC,
9 January 2009
A man has been arrested in
connection with the theft of three shotguns
and boxes of ammunition that were stolen from a house in Seven Sisters,
near Neath.
Wales on Sunday,
4 January 2009
A man has claimed that he was
shot as he was walking along a street in Trallwn, Swansea. He
fell to the floor after being struck in the knee with a pellet from a
rifle. According to the victim's sister the police think a "0.22 gun
was used that had been powered up". She also said that there had
been other reports of a car being shot at and other people had said they
had been aimed at (This is Swansea, 3 January 2009).
BBC,
2 January 2009
Keith Torrance, 19, has
admitted affray and possessing an imitation
firearm in public. The police had been called to
Wrexham town centre after he was seen in a car holding what looked
like a gun. It turned out to be a cigarette lighter in the shape of
a gun. He claimed he was just playing with it and had not intended
to frighten anyone. The offence was committed whilst he was subject
to a community sentence for affray. A custodial sentence is
inevitable.
INCIDENTS INVOLVING ANIMALS
Muswell Hill Journal,
29 January 2009
A cat from Muswell Hill,
north London, has been shot twice in nine months with a
ball-bearing gun. The owner has now
been forced to give him up for adoption for fear of him being killed.
In March last year he was left badly injured after being shot in the
shoulder and he has just recovered from a foot wound sustained in
December.
Northern Echo,
28 January 2009
Two men are believed to have
been responsible for a "barbaric" attack on a cat which was found on the
outskirts of Darlington. The men had been seen carrying an
air rifle and
airgun. Shortly afterwards a shot
was heard and the cat was found under a car with a wound from an airgun
pellet which had to be removed by a vet.
Hartlepool Mail,
27 January 2009
Two ducks were shot dead in
the back garden of a house in Greatham Village, Hartlepool.
It is believed that an air rifle was
used.
The Star,
24 January 2009
A cat lost an eye when an
airgun was fired at the family pet in
Skellow, South Yorkshire. In a second incident in the area a cat
in Askern, which returned home with blood on its chest, had to have
pellets removed from its body by a vet.
South Yorkshire Times,
22 January 2009
The RSPCA are tracing the
person who shot dead a swan with an airgun
at a beauty spot in Wombwell, Barnsley. The bird had a
number of airgun pellets lodged in its neck and is believed to have died
as a result of the injuries.
Surrey Comet,
21 January 2009 *
Two horses have been shot in
the eye with an airgun in Headley,
Leatherhead, Surrey. One them lost an eye but will recover.
The second horse, which lost one eye due to cancer four years ago has now
lost the other eye, leaving him completely blind. Although it was
thought he would have
to be put down he has been given a second chance at a horse sanctuary (Horse
and Hound, 13 March 2009).
BBC,
19 January 2009
A £500 reward is being offered
after the shooting of several wild birds in north Surrey in
air rifle incidents. Two swans were
found seriously injured in Shepperton after being shot in the face
and neck and a swan and several coots were shot dead on a frozen pond in
Chertsey.
Advertiser
(Buckinghamshire),
19 January 2009
A family pet was shot with an
airgun in Buckingham. The
cat returned home with a bruised eye and swollen face. X-rays showed
an air rifle pellet lodged in his skull. The pellet cannot be
removed and he may lose an eye.
Oxford Mail,
16 January 2009
The owner of a cat recovering
from an air rifle attack in
Headington, Oxford (see
December 2008 Incidents) was devastated when a neighbour found
another of her cats shot dead. The RSPCA has put up a £250 reward in
a bid to catch the people responsible.
stv,
15 January 2009
A deer which was a tourist
attraction in Glencoe, Argyll, because it was so tame has had to be
put down after it was shot with an air rifle
and left for dead.
The News (Portsmouth),
15 January 2009
A cat was shot five times with
an air rifle in Lee-on-the-Solent,
Hampshire. The pet was seen limping and vets found a pellet lodged
deep in her abdomen and a further four puncture wounds. Vets fought
to save her life but she died later.
Somerset County Gazette,
14 January 2009
A cat owner from Monkton
Heathfield, Somerset, has come forward to say that her pet was shot
with a pellet gun and had to undergo
an operation. The pellet went into the cat's stomach. The
owner was responding to an earlier report about a dog which was shot in
the head with an airgun in West
Monkton.
Scotsman,
14 January 2009
An animal welfare group has
called on police to investigate the alleged shooting of a seal during its
breeding season. The grey seal was found by two members of the
public on the shore near Kyle of Lochalsh, Ross-shire.
Bucks Free Press,
13 January 2009
Two ducks have been shot dead
on a pond in Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire. The RSPCA
said they had been use as 'illegal target practice'. One had been
shot in the head and the other had a wound on its back. The injuries
are believed to have been caused by an airgun.
A local resident has put up a £500 reward to try and catch those
responsible.
Express & Star,
8 January 2009
The RSPCA say they will no
longer return swans to the Wyrley and Essington Canal in the Black Country
after the latest spate of gun attacks. One swan, found last
month, had been shot nine times when she was discovered in Willenhall.
X-rays revealed she had been "used as target practice for someone
brandishing an airgun". Two
swans were recently killed in Wednesfield and another badly injured
in Willenhall.
Eastbourne Today,
8 January 2009
The East Sussex Wildlife
Rescue and Ambulance Service is appealing for witnesses after birds were
shot in Pevensey Bay. A herring gull with a damaged wing was
found in a garden, a pigeon was shot dead last month and a resident
reported seeing a gull fall into the sea. A casualty care officer
with the charity says that a resident is shooting birds with an
airgun.
Birmingham Mail,
6 January 2009
Robert Jones has been given a
12-week prison sentence suspended for a year after encouraging his son to
shoot a wood pigeon with a high velocity air
rifle in their back garden in Tettenhall, Wolverhampton.
He was also ordered to carry out 180 hours' community punishment. He
admitted aiding, abetting and counselling his son to kill a wild bird.
The shooting was reported by a neighbour.
BBC,
5 January 2009
A pet cat has had to have a
leg amputated after it was shot with an air rifle
in Macduff, Aberdeenshire. The cat has since died (Evening
Express, 8 January 2009).
