JANUARY 2011
We prepare
a monthly review 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
Review was written are marked (*).
ENGLAND
Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard,
31 January 2011
Robert
Greenacre, 20, and Bradley Morgan, 21, robbed two men at gunpoint in
Cirencester, Gloucestershire, in May 2010. They both admitted two
robbery charges and were each sentenced to four years. Greenacre was so
conscience stricken he gave himself up a week after the robbery.
Oxford Mail,
31 January 2011
Leslie
Belcher has admitted possessing an imitation firearm with intent to
cause fear or violence. He had thrust a
ball-bearing gun into another man's face to break up an
argument in Oxford in June 2010. The judge gave him an absolute
discharge and said it sounded as if his victim "thoroughly deserved" to
be frightened.
Kent
Online,
31 January 2011
Dale
Baker kept an arsenal of guns and ammunition in his flat in a pub in
Dartford, Kent. Police found a loaded revolver on his bedside table
in October 2010. They also seized a stun
gun, rifle, a dart pistol and various ammunition. He has
been jailed for five years after admitting possessing a prohibited
firearm, two charges of possessing a prohibited weapon, possessing a
firearm without a certificate and two charges of possessing ammunition.
Derby Telegraph,
31 January 2011
A father
who went to reclaim his son's stolen bike was threatened with an
air rifle by a 15-year-old boy. The
victim had parked near the boy's home in Allenton, Derby, in June
2010 and had confronted him before the teenager escaped and returned
with the air rifle. The offender has admitted possession of an
imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, theft, burglary
and robbery. He has been given a two-year detention and training order.
Birmingham Post,
31 January 2011
Shazad
Mahmood attempted to rob a bookmakers in Acocks Green,
Birmingham, in August 2010 (see
Incidents) but was confronted by a
soldier who chased him for more than a mile before catching him and
holding him. He had raided the shop six days earlier when he got away
with £1390. He was sentenced to nine years in prison for charges of
robbery, attempted robbery, possession of a machete and an
imitation firearm.
BBC,
31 January 2011 *
A
14-year-old boy was shot and an 18-year-old fatally stabbed in attacks
in East Dulwich, south London. The gunshot victim was found at a
hospital where he was seeking treatment. He remains in a stable
condition. A 13-year-old has been given bail after being arrested on
suspicion of attempted murder (BBC, 8 February 2011).
BBC,
31 January 2011
A taxi
driver was threatened at gunpoint in Walsall, West Midlands, by
his passenger and two other men who got into the back seat as he
discussed the fare. The men stole his car.
Northumberland Gazette,
30 January 2011 *
Andrew
Rutherford shot himself with a rifle which belonged to his father, a
registered firearms holder. Rutherford, who injured himself in the
lower jaw in the process, was living with his father in Harbottle,
Northumberland, at the time of the incident in June 2010. He has
pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm without a certificate. He had
been drinking alcohol which his father also kept in the locked firearms
cabinet. The judge has imposed an 18-month conditional discharge (The
Journal, 26 February 2011).
Scunthorpe Telegraph,
29 January 2011
Darren
Parfitt and his brother Paul, together with an accomplice, raided a post
office in Owston Ferry, Lincolnshire, in March 2010 (see
Incidents). They were brandishing
sawn-off shotguns and demanded
money from the postmistress. Police discovered 78 shotgun cartridges
and a sawn-off shotgun in the house of Darren Parfitt. He was sentenced
to 17 years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of robbery and
two counts of possessing a firearm with intent. Paul Parfitt, who was
the getaway driver, was sentenced to four years and eight months.
Knutsford Guardian,
29 January 2011
A man
from Mobberley, Cheshire, shot himself with a
shotgun at his home in August 2010.
He had been suffering from depression and anxiety. He had a shotgun as
he enjoyed clay pigeon shooting. The deputy coroner described the gun
as an "awful weapon" and recorded a verdict that he took his own life
while the balance of his mind was disturbed.
The
Journal,
29 January 2011 *
A man
was shot as he walked through the front door of his house in Dumpling
Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne. Two 17-year-olds were helping police
with their inquiries. A man has also been arrested on suspicion of
causing grievous bodily harm with intent (BBC, 8 February 2011).
Hastings Observer,
29 January 2011
A
17-year-old used a fake gun during
a raid at a shop in St Leonards, East Sussex, in September 2010.
He forced the shop assistant to hand over more than £300 in cash. He
has been jailed for more than two years after pleading guilty to all the
charges.
Cambridge News,
29 January 2011
Armed
police surrounded a home in Cambridge during a raid after they
were issued with a warrant under the Firearms Act to enter the flat
following intelligence. Nothing was found and no further action will be
taken.
The
Argus,
29 January 2011
A
three-inch toy gun which was part
of an action figure bought on a visit to the Royal Signals Museum caused
a security alert at Gatwick Airport. A woman, who had bought it
as a present, had to hand it over when security officials found it
during a scan.
Huddersfield Daily Examiner,
28 January 2011
Three
men armed with a machete, Samurai sword and possibly a gun confronted a
young man outside his home near Marsden, West Yorkshire. They
demanded the keys to a car but the would-be robbers fled empty-handed.
Evening Chronicle,
28 January 2011
A man
threatened furniture store staff in Blaydon, Tyneside, with an
imitation gun after being involved in
a dispute. It was feared he had taken staff hostage. Police arrested
him on suspicion of possession of an imitation firearm with intent to
cause fear.
The
Citizen,
28 January 2011
A man
charged with sexual offence against a child has also been charged with
two counts of possessing firearms. Police said they discovered a
stun gun and pepper spray at his
home in Great Harwood, Lancashire.
BBC,
28 January 2011
Police
are investigating an attack on a house in Luton, Bedfordshire,
during which a man was seen who appeared to be holding a
shotgun. An object was thrown
against a window but no shots were fired.
BBC,
28 January 2011
Two men
raided a bookmakers in Rushden, Northamptonshire. What is
believed to be a small black handgun was pointed at an employee. The
men made off with a "significant quantity of money".
This
is Wiltshire,
27 January 2011
Following reports of four youths, two of whom appeared to be armed with
handguns, in Devizes, Wiltshire, two teenagers were found
carrying ball bearing guns. The
young men were given advice but were not arrested.
The
Shuttle,
27 January 2011
Thieves
who broke into 21 caravans at a caravan park in Far Forest,
Worcestershire, while the residents were away stole a number of items
including an airgun.
Evening Standard,
27 January 2011
Alaadine
Mohammed, 20, from Maida Vale, west London, has admitted
concealing a bag containing a modified handgun and four bullets at a
block of flats in July 2010. The weapon was found by a boy of four.
Mohammed admitted possessing a prohibited firearm and ammunition without
a firearm certificate.
Chester Chronicle,
27 January 2011
In June
2010 (see
Incidents) a pensioner who was
battling with cancer walked into the garden of his home in Frodsham,
Cheshire, and shot himself in the head. He had taken the gun from a
cabinet in his garage. The coroner recorded a verdict of suicide.
Bucks Free Press,
27 January 2011
Two
armed robbers forced cashiers at a service station in Longwick,
Buckinghamshire, to lie on the floor while they stole cigarettes and
money. Police say they could have been holding handguns.
Birmingham Mail,
27 January 2011
A man
was found dead on a narrow boat on a canal in Alvechurch,
Worcestershire, with a shotgun
lying next to his body. Police are not treating the death as suspicious
and an inquest has been opened.
Midweek Visiter,
26 January 2011
Philip
Taylor and Anthony Holmes held up a man at gunpoint in Leyland,
Lancashire, in April 2010 (see
Incidents). Their victim was
taken against his will from a property and subjected to a number of
violent physical threats. Both men pleaded guilty to possession of an
imitation firearm to cause fear of
violence and false imprisonment. Taylor was jailed for two years and
six months and Holmes for three years and ten months.
Liverpool Echo,
26 January 2011
Wesley
Hankin, 19, dumped a handgun as he fled from police when they raided his
home in Wavertree, Liverpool, in October 2010. He later handed
himself into police. He admitted possessing the firearm and ammunition
and has been sent to a Young Offenders' Institute for five years.
Evening Gazette,
26 January 2011
A
sawn-off shotgun and crack cocaine
were discovered during a police raid on a flat in Thornaby,
Teesside. Two men and two women were arrested and one of the men was
charged with a firearms offence.
Eastern Daily Press,
26 January 2011
The
solicitors' office in Attleborough, Norfolk, was evacuated after
fears were raised that a member of staff was about to be targeted. A
man had been seen carrying a gun near the town centre. The manhunt was
called off following a search of the area for more than two hours.
Press Association,
25 January 2011 *
An
ex-marine faces trial in the United States accused of smuggling
more than 60 handguns into Britain in his luggage. One of the guns has
been linked to a drive-by shooting in Wythenshawe, Manchester, in
October 2010 (see
Incidents). He is accused of
illegally buying and exporting firearms and making false statements at a
string of gun shops. The pistols were bought between February and July
2010 (Shropshire Star, 25 January 2011). Steven Greenoe has
pleaded guilty and will be sentenced in June (BBC, 2 March 2011).
Manchester Evening News,
25 January 2011
A man
armed with a handgun burst into a bookmakers in the centre of
Manchester and pointed the gun at a woman working behind the
counter. He escaped with a small amount of money in a bag.
Halifax Courier,
25 January 2011
Jason
Schofield pulled the trigger of a
ball-bearing gun while aiming it at a group of men talking
near his flat in Brighouse, West Yorkshire. He was high on the
drug Mcat at the time. He admitted possessing an imitation firearm and
been sentenced to 21 months.
Fulham & Hammersmith Chronicle,
25 January 2011
Armed
police stormed a home in Fulham, west London, and arrested an
alleged gunman. They had received a tip-off that two men armed with a
shotgun and a pistol had been seen arriving at the house.
Echo,
25 January 2011
A woman
was threatened with a gun and a knife when three men burst into her home
in Pitsea, Essex. The men left with only a mobile phone.
East
Anglian Daily Times,
25 January 2011
David
Reilly has pleaded guilty to robbing a shop in Kessingland,
Suffolk, in November 2010 (see
Incidents). A gun was said to
have been brandished during the robbery. He was released on bail until
his sentencing.
Click Liverpool,
25 January 2011
A
sawn-off shotgun was found hidden
under a bed at a house in Norris Green, Liverpool, where an
18-year-old was arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm. A
woman was also arrested. A man and a woman were arrested after a
self-loading pistol was discovered during a raid on a house in
Stockbridge Village.
BBC,
25 January 2011
A gunman
has robbed a post office in Burgess Hill, West Sussex. Staff
handed over cash after he threatened staff and customers. The raid is
believed to be linked to an attempted robbery on a bank in the town four
days earlier (see below).
BBC,
25 January 2011 *
A woman
was found dead with gunshot wounds in the attic of a house in
Woodlesford, Leeds. The weapon was apparently a
shotgun (Yorkshire Evening Post,
25 January 2011). A man has appeared in court charged with murder (BBC,
27 January 2011). An inquest has opened into the death and has been
adjourned by the coroner pending the outcome of further proceedings (Yorkshire
Evening Post, 22 February 2011).
Manchester Evening News,
24 January 2011
A man
and a boy were shot in the head with a
shotgun in Bury, Greater Manchester. Their injuries
are not believed to be life threatening. A man was arrested on
suspicion of possession of a firearm and two others on suspicion of
violent disorder (This is Lancashire, 24 January 2011).
Hounslow Chronicle,
24 January 2011
A woman
and five men were arrested for possession of a firearm with intent to
endanger life in Chiswick, west London, as part of a gun crime
operation. Witnesses claim to have seen the suspects "waving guns
around". One firearm was recovered.
Hackney Gazette,
24 January 2011
A
17-year-old from South Hackney, east London, will appear in court
charged with possession of a firearm after he was stopped by police and
found to be carrying a taser.
East
London Advertiser,
24 January 2011
Five men
involved in a drive-by shooting in Mile End, east London, in
March 2010 (see
Incidents) have been found
guilty. Eugene Newland, 20, was convicted of attempted murder and will
serve a minimum of 12 years, Vernon Lee was jailed for a minimum of
eight years for grievous bodily harm and possessing a firearm with
intent to endanger life, Anton Ekprikpo was also jailed for a minimum of
eight years for grievous bodily harm, Kiley received an indeterminate
sentence with a minimum of seven years for grievous bodily harm with
intent and Brenton Roper was jailed for four years for attempting to
pervert the course of justice. Ekprikpo received gunshot wounds during
the incident.
Daily Mail,
24 January 2011
A man
shot and killed himself with a sawn-off
shotgun following a 16-hour siege in Luton,
Bedfordshire, after being denied access to his children by a
girlfriend. The incident is being investigated by the Independent
Police Complaints Commission (BBC, 25 January 2011).
Daily Mail,
24 January 2011
A man
was in hospital with serious injuries after being shot in Bedford.
It is believed the victim was targeted after confidential police files
and a photograph naming him as an informant were posted on Facebook.
BBC,
24 January 2011
An
air rifle was seized during a series
of raids in Merseyside targeting drug and gun crime. Eleven men
and four women were being held on suspicion of conspiracy to supply
class A drugs. Some of them were also being questioned on suspicion of
firearms offences.
BBC,
24 January 2011
Two men
carrying a firearm attempted to rob an off licence in Tunbridge Wells,
Kent. They tried to grab cash but eventually fled empty handed. A shot
was fired. A shotgun believed to
have been used is being forensically examined by police.
The
News,
22 January 2011
Anthony
Higson tried to hold up an off-licence in Somers Town,
Portsmouth, in December 2010 (see
Incidents) whilst armed with a
fake handgun. He has pleaded guilty
to attempted robbery and possessing an imitation firearm and will be
sentenced later.
Leicester Mercury,
22 January 2011
Brinderpal Singh Shoker, 18, and Jedson Bailey, 19, have been sentenced
to three years and four months after they attacked and robbed three
friends whilst they were eating a takeaway in Leicester, in
August 2010. One of the teenagers pointed an
air pistol at the victims. They both
admitted robbery and possessing an imitation firearm with intent to
cause fear of violence.
BBC,
22 January 2011
A man
threatened staff at a bank in Burgess Hill, West Sussex, with a
gun during an attempted robbery. He fled the scene after he failed to
get any money.
Yorkshire Post,
21 January 2011
Desmond
Browne was found to have a 100-year-old gun at his home in Yeadon,
Leeds, in April 2010. When police called he was seen to push a package
out on to the roof. Five live .38 bullets were recovered. He has been
jailed for two and a half years after a jury decided the gun was not a
"curiosity or ornament" as he claimed and they found him guilty of
possessing a prohibited firearm.
Worcester News,
21 January 2011
Three
teenagers have been arrested over an attempted armed robbery at an off
licence in Droitwich, Worcestershire. A black pistol-like weapon
was brandished during the incident. Nothing was taken.
Rutland & Stamford Mercury,
21 January 2011
Police
seized an air rifle at the scene
of an incident in Bourne, Lincolnshire. A man was arrested on
suspicion of making threats to kill.
Liverpool Echo,
21 January 2011
Steve
McCouid raided three bookmakers in Liverpool in December 2010 using a
vacuum cleaner attachment that he pretended was a shotgun. He targeted
premises in Mossley Hill, Kirkdale and Walton. He
pleaded guilty to robbery charges and was jailed for ten years.
Harrow Observer,
21 January 2011
A member
of the public called police claiming a gun had been fired in
Harlesden, north west London. The police are appealing for
witnesses.
Click Lancashire,
21 January 2011
Uwais
Ilyan has been sentenced to five years after pleading guilty to
possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. This
follows an incident in Fulwood, Lancashire, in February 2010 (see
Incidents) when shots were fired
at a house.
BBC,
21 January 2011 *
A man
has been shot dead in Fazakerley, Liverpool. He was found
injured in a street and taken to hospital but a short while later was
pronounced dead. The victim had previously been shot with a
shotgun in Fazakerley in 2009
(Liverpool Echo, 22 January 2011). An 18-year-old who went to a
police station has been arrested on suspicion of murder (Liverpool
Echo, 31 January 2011). Another man has also been arrested on
suspicion of murder (BBC, 12 February 2011).
Yorkshire Post,
20 January 2011
Stephen
Evans fired a ball bearing gun
during a struggle to disarm him in a hospital in Leeds in
December 2010. He was drunk at the time and had arrived at the accident
and emergency department saying he had taken an overdose of
Paracetamol. He admitted possessing an imitation firearm and was given
a suspended nine-month prison sentence and a condition of undergoing an
alcohol treatment programme.
Wisbech Standard,
20 January 2011
Kevin
Barrett has been convicted of two counts of attempted murder. In June
2010 (see
Incidents) he shot his neighbours
in Nordelph, Norfolk, with a shotgun
following a feud over their dog. He was also found guilty of possession
of a firearm with intent to cause serious harm. He has been jailed for
18 years (BBC, 21 January 2011).
Telegraph & Argus,
20 January 2011
A man
has denied robbery, possession of an
imitation firearm and taking a van without authority. He is
alleged to have been one of a gang of three men who threatened two
couriers with a gun in Lidget Green, Bradford, in July 2010.
Mariusz Wolkowicz was found not guilty of the charges but had already
admitted an offence of attempted burglary (Telegraph & Argus, 27
January 2011).
Doncaster Free Press,
20 January 2011
Frederick Kaye has been jailed for more than three years after he
threatened a man with a rifle when his girlfriend dumped him. Armed
police had been called to Kaye's flat in Wheatley, South
Yorkshire, after he produced the weapon.
This
is the West Country,
19 January 2011
An
air rifle was taken during a burglary
in Chittlehampton, Devon.
Telegraph & Argus,
19 January 2011
A man
was shot in the leg with a shotgun
during a confrontation in a street in Manningham, Bradford. He
was undergoing treatment for non-life threatening injuries. Three men
were arrested. It is thought that one of them is the victim.
Rochdale Online,
19 January 2011
Two men
were threatened with a shotgun
when they turned up to view a car that had been advertised on an
internet site. The incident took place in Newhey, Greater
Manchester. The gunman demanded they handed over the cash they came
with to buy the car but the victims ran off.
Liverpool Echo,
19 January 2011
Dean
Porter has admitted looking after a sawn-off
shotgun at his mother's house in Huyton, Merseyside,
and is serving a six-and-a-half year jail term. He has been banned from
going back to the property by the landlord.
Evening Standard,
19 January 2011
Nathan
Miller hid a .32 self-loading pistol and a sock full of bullets at his
mother's home in Brixton, south London. The gun was used to
murder a student who was shot in Walworth in August 2008 (see
Incidents). Miller was jailed for
five and a half years.
Evening Standard,
19 January 2011
Four
teenagers including a 14-year-old boy were hit when a gunman on a moped
fired at a group of youths outside a takeaway restaurant in Stockwell,
south London. The youths were standing next to paramedics who were
treating two stabbing victims. One of the victims who was shot in the
stomach was in a serious but stable condition in hospital, the other
three have now been released after treatment. Two teenagers, a woman
and a man were arrested (BBC, 19 January 2011).
Evening Standard,
19 January 2011
A major
security alert was sparked when false reports of a gunman in Oxford
Street, London, were posted on the Twitter site.
Echo,
19 January 2011
Detectives were investigating claims that gunshots were fired at a
housing estate in Vange, Essex, where a gang of men forced their
way into a house looking for another man.
Birmingham Mail,
19 January 2011
Frederick Price from Dudley, West Midlands, was found in
possession of a stun gun and
£8000 worth of stolen antique cameras. He pleaded guilty to receiving
stolen property and possession of a prohibited weapon. He was given a
suspended 12-week jail term and ordered to carry out unpaid work.
BBC,
19 January 2011
A
shopkeeper and his son in Finsbury Park, north London, fought off
two robbers who were armed with a pistol and a knife. The son was
pistol-whipped during the raid which occurred in December 2010. The
attackers fled empty-handed. CCTV footage has been released.
Weston, Worle & Somerset Mercury,
18 January 2011 *
Police
were called to the centre of Yatton, Somerset, after passers-by
reported an incident involving a firearm. A man has denied two charges
of possession of a loaded air weapon in a public place and using threatening, abusive or
insulting words or behaviour (Evening Post (Bristol), 2 March
2011).
News
Guardian,
18 January 2011
Three
people were arrested in Whitley Bay, Tyneside, after police were
called to a street following concerns about a resident. An
air weapon has been recovered.
Whitley Bay and neighbouring Cullercoats were placed on lockdown
during the police operation (The Journal, 19 January 2011). The
weapon was being wielded by a woman and was pointed at a taxi driver and
another woman (Evening Chronicle, 19 January 2011).
Kent
News,
18 January 2011
An
18-year-old was in a serious condition after being shot in Dover,
Kent. Two teenagers were arrested in connection with the incident, one
of whom was released without charge. The victim and the suspect are
known to each other (This is Kent, 18 January 2011). An
18-year-old has been charged with causing grievous bodily harm with
intent and attempting to pervert the course of justice (Kent Online,
19 January 2011). The shooting involved a revolver which had been
bought in France in November 2010 and occurred at the accused's flat (This
is Kent, 28 January 2011).
Huddersfield Daily Examiner,
18 January 2011
A boy
who admitted using an imitation firearm
to hold up a shop and was jailed for 36 months in March 2010 (see
Incidents) has pleaded guilty to
possessing a sawn-off shotgun and
a single barrelled shotgun without a firearms certificate. The
weapons were found at a house in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, in
January 2010. The boy is facing a further period in custody and will be
sentenced alongside a man.
Epping Forest, Waltham Forest, Wanstead & Woodford Guardian,
18 January 2011
Fikret
Hyuseinov, a lorry driver from Bulgaria, was arrested at Dover,
Kent, in February 2010 when police found an assault rifle, a
semi-automatic handgun and drugs in his vehicle. He was part of a gang
of drug smugglers who have been sentenced to a total of 49 years in
prison. Hyuseinov and Inan Uckac, who lives in Islington, north
London, both pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply class
B drugs and two counts of possession of a firearm. Two others pleaded
guilty to drugs offences.
Enfield Independent,
18 January 2011
Nasir
Omer, 20, Ahmed Ahmed, 19, and Jeffrey Nti, 19, were involved in an
attempt to steal £35,000 at gunpoint in a bogus car sale in February
2010 in Enfield, north London. When two men arrived to buy the
car they were threatened with a handgun and they were eventually taken
to a hotel in Greenwich, south east London, from where they
eventually escaped. Ahmed and Nti admitted kidnap, robbery and
possession of an imitation firearm
and Omer was found guilty. Omer was jailed for seven years, the other
two men for six years and two months.
Coventry Telegraph,
18 January 2011 *
Samuel
Blackstock has admitted possessing a 9mm semi-automatic pistol which
contained four bullets. Police discovered the gun and ammunition when
they went to his house in Longford, West Midlands, when they went
to arrest him on unrelated matters. He has been jailed for five years (Coventry
Telegraph, 18 February 2011).
Click Liverpool,
18 January 2011
Andrew
Doyle has pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to
endanger life and possession of ammunition with intent to endanger
life. He was caught with a loaded pistol during a routine stop check in
his own road in Liverpool. He was jailed for six years.
BBC,
18 January 2011
Armed
police were sent to a house in Ashford, Surrey, after reports
that a man at the house was seen with a gun. A detailed search was
carried out but no guns were found. Three men and a teenage boy were
arrested and being held on suspicion of cultivating cannabis (BBC,
19 January 2011).
BBC,
18 January 2011
A man
has been charged with possession of a firearm with intent to resist
arrest after a police officer was shot at with a
BB gun. Officers had gone to a house
in Swindon, Wiltshire, following reports of a disturbance.
Stroud News & Journal,
17 January 2011
Three
men threatened a man making a delivery to a garage in Chalford,
Gloucestershire, with what is believed to be a handgun. They stole
cigarettes.
Lincolnshire Echo,
17 January 2011
After
walking in on his former partner and friend of his at her home in
Navenby, Lincolnshire, Jamie Belton went home and armed himself with
his licensed shotgun. When he
returned to the property he fired the gun into the ceiling. He admitted
possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, causing
actual bodily harm and criminal damage and has been jailed for four
years.
Sunday Mercury,
16 January 2011 *
Mark
Thomas, who with another man admitted one count of fraud and dishonestly
making false representations to make gain for themselves, also pleaded
guilty to possessing a stun gun,
cocaine and counterfeit money found when police searched his home in
Walsall, West Midlands. He has been jailed for 14 months (Birmingham
Mail, 9 February 2011).
This
is Total Essex,
15 January 2011
Diane
Franklin went round to the home of her cleaner in Witham, Essex,
brandishing a handgun after deciding to sack her in June 2010. The
BB gun had been purchased in France
earlier last year. She has pleaded guilty to affray and was given a
conditional discharge. The court was told she was suffering psychiatric
problems at the time.
Derby Telegraph,
15 January 2011
Police
recovered a suspected handgun from a home in Alvaston, Derby,
during an operation set up to target gang crime. Two men were arrested
on suspicion of possession of a firearm.
Daily Mail,
15 January 2011
Gang
leader Danny Speed used pistols, machetes and
tasers in a number of raids
across East Anglia (see
November 2010 Incidents). He has
been convicted along with Lee Watson and Andrew McCracken. Two other
men, Mark Richards and Scott Guy, had admitted involvement in some of
the robberies, two others were acquitted and the jury failed to reach a
verdict on another man. Among the robberies were one on a building
society branch in Mildenhall, Suffolk, in March 2008 (see
Incidents) and another on another
branch in Brightlingsea, Essex, in February 2009. The men were
arrested during a bungled raid in Hadleigh, Essex, in November
2009 (see
Incidents).
BBC,
15 January 2011
During a
raid in November 2010 a man armed with a
stun gun threatened staff at a shop in South Woodgate,
Birmingham, before fleeing empty-handed when the shop workers fought
back.
This
is Gloucestershire,
14 January 2011
A man
from Lydbrook, Gloucestershire, was drunk and depressed when he
shot himself in the arm with a .22 Derringer handgun he had made
himself. The gun was loaded with a dum-dum bullet. Stephen Fowler
admitted manufacturing a prohibited weapon, possessing the weapon and
possessing a round of hollow point exploding ammunition. The court
heard he was obsessed with guns. He was sent to prison for three years
and four months. The judge comments "The dangers of such weapons are
all too obvious especially for someone like you with a drink problem.
Also if your home had been burgled the gun could have fallen into the
wrong hands".
The
Star,
14 January 2011
Harminder Jhakra, 19, from Sheffield pulled out a gun and shot a
taxi driver in the head. The cabbie was hit with pellets from the
ball bearing gun and was lucky not to
lose an eye. He had been drinking before the incident and some of his
friends got in an altercation with the driver who called the police.
Jhakra pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm
and possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of
violence.
Slough & Langley Observer,
14 January 2011
A man
with a gun entered a bank in Langley, Berkshire, and stole
money. No one was injured during the robbery.
Scarborough Evening News,
14 January 2011
A man
from Scarborough, North Yorkshire, has appeared in court charged
under the Firearms Act 1968 with possessing three different types of
prohibited weapon, namely a self-loading pistol with a barrel less than
12 inches in length, an air pistol
adapted for use with a self-contained gas cartridge system and a
revolver also with a barrel less than 12 inches in length.
Manchester Evening News,
14 January 2011
Police
are questioning a man after a gunman entered a newsagents in Whalley
Range, Manchester. When he was confronted by staff he fired a shot
into the ceiling from what is believed to have been a handgun.
Maidenhead Advertiser,
14 January 2011
A man
has been charged in connection with nine offences including burglary,
robbery and being in possession of an
imitation firearm. The imitation firearm charge is in
connection with an attempted robbery in Slough, Berkshire, in
December 2010. He is also charged with possession of a section 5
firearm on the day he was arrested.
Liverpool Daily Post,
14 January 2011
A man
who was questioned by officers from Merseyside Police's Matrix unit in
June after they took away as many as 10 firearms for testing following
visits to his firm's offices in Liverpool and home in Heswall
will not face further action. The guns were reported to have been
antiques.
Express & Echo,
14 January 2011
Police
were searching for a gunman after a man was spotted carrying a silver
handgun in Exeter, Devon. The man is believed to have gone into
a number of shops. Police later confiscated a
toy gun from a man who was given
"suitable words of advice" (BBC, 15 January 2011).
Evening Telegraph
(Northamptonshire),
14 January 2011
A
handgun and knives were seized by police during a raid in
Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, in which cash and cannabis were
also found. One man was arrested.
Wigan Today,
13 January 2011
John
Bolster has admitting possessing a stun
gun. It was found at his home in Haigh, Greater
Manchester. He claimed he did not realise that it was a prohibited
weapon and that it had been left behind by a friend. He was given a
community order with 200 hours unpaid work. The device will be
destroyed.
Walsall Advertiser,
13 January 2011
Matthew
King from Walsall, West Midlands, bombarded his former partner
and her mother with a string of abusive texts. He had also left two
knives on her bed, a toy gun and
toy dolls which had their heads removed. He admitted two charges of
harassing the victims and was given a two-year community order with two
years' supervision.
Manchester Evening News,
13 January 2011
A pub
landlady was threatened by two men with a handgun during an armed raid
at a pub in Moorside, Greater Manchester. The men stole cash
from the till.
Keighley News,
13 January 2011
A gun
was fired at the front door of a house in Keighley, West
Yorkshire. No one was injured. A vehicle connected to the incident was
recovered nearby. Two men were in police custody. The weapon appears
to have been a shotgun (Telegraph
& Argus, 13 January 2011). Six men and three women have been
arrested by police (Telegraph & Argus, 20 January 2011).
Evening Telegraph
(Northamptonshire),
13 January 2011
Four men
entered a property in Ringstead, Northamptonshire, and threatened
a woman with what was described as a black handgun. The men stole two
mobile phones and jewellery.
Liverpool Echo,
12 January 2011
Gunmen
fired shotgun pellets at a house
in Huyton. There were 23 shot holes in the window and pellets
had also hit the house next door and a car on the driveway. It is
believed that the houses were not the intended target.
Ellesmere Port Pioneer,
12 January 2011
A man
has been charged on suspicion of robbery and possession of an imitation
firearm after an armed robber threatened staff at a shop in Ellesmere
Port, Cheshire, with a BB gun.
Police in a nearby patrol car heard the alarm and confronted by a gunman
whom they disarmed.
Crewe Chronicle,
12 January 2011
Shots
were fired at a house in Crewe, Cheshire, whilst a couple were
asleep upstairs. Five bullets from a 9mm pistol went through the front
door. The incident took place in December 2010. Two men who were
arrested the same day were released on bail.
Birmingham Mail,
12 January 2011
A
shotgun was among items stolen by
thieves from a property in Tardebigge, Worcestershire.
This
is Devon,
11 January 2011
An
inquest heard that a 17-year-old found dead in the rear garden of the
family home in Cheriton Bishop, Devon, in March 2010 had left a
suicide note and a shotgun was
found near the body. A verdict of suicide was recorded.
The
Herald
(Plymouth),
11 January 2011
A
15-year-old boy was shot twice in the head with an
airgun in Brixham, Devon. He
heard a shot and then felt pain in his temple and behind his ear. He
did not see his attackers.
Express & Echo,
11 January 2011 *
Jamie
Jones has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm, a
gas-powered air rifle, without the
correct licence. He has pleaded not guilty to another offence of
possessing a firearm with intent to cause a man fear of violence. That
charge arose from an alleged incident which happened on land near a site
owned by the other man near Wonford, Devon, in February 2010 when
he had a rifle pointed at him and four or five shots were fired. Jones
has been jailed for nine months (Express & Echo, 15 February
2011).
Bromley Times,
11 January 2011
Elton
John and Mark Ruddock were arrested with a loaded handgun in Downham,
south-east London, while driving around on a stolen motorbike in October
2009 (see
Incidents). They have been found
guilty of conspiracy to commit robbery and unlawful possession of a
firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence following five
robberies. In April 2009 they threatened a security guard with a
handgun in Welling and a week later they carried out two attacks
in one of which in West Wickham they fired two shots from a
handgun into the ground.
BBC,
11 January 2011
Two men
armed with an axe and a small gun stole several hundred pounds from a
shop in Gloucester.
The
News,
10 January 2011
Following a raid at an off licence in Portsmouth, a man has been
charged with attempted robbery and possessing an
imitation firearm. The staff were
threatened with what appeared to be a handgun but they disarmed the man
who ran off empty-handed.
Mix96,
10 January 2011
A man
with a handgun held up a garage in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.
He told the shopkeeper to put money from the till in a brown paper bag.
Lynn
News,
10 January 2011
A man
who triggered a five-hour siege by claiming to have a handgun and
threatening to shoot himself and others has been told he faces jail.
Adam Turner of Fairstead, Norfolk, pleaded guilty to wasting
police time. He admitted to not having a gun and said he had no
intention of shooting himself or anyone else but had been seeking
"attention". He has been jailed for 18 weeks (Lynn News, 27
January 2011).
Bucks Free Press,
10 January 2011 *
In two
armed robberies in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, a cashier at a
service station was forced to hand over money after being threatened by
a man believed to have a gun, and a woman was ordered to get out of a
car by a man who was brandishing what also appeared to be a gun. In the
second incident the man fled the scene when a passer-by came over.
Police are linking the incidents with two robberies at bookmakers' (BBC,
12 January 2011). A man has pleaded guilty to four robberies or
attempted robberies. He was armed with an
imitation firearm (see
March 2011 Incidents).
Birmingham Mail,
10 January 2011
A man
entered a bookmakers in Palfrey, West Midlands, and threatened
staff with a small handgun. He stole an amount of cash before escaping.
BBC,
10 January 2011
A man
has been arrested in St Columb Minor, Cornwall, following reports
that a man made threats to shoot members of the public.
Liverpool Echo,
8 January 2011
A man
was detained after a five-hour stand-off when armed police surrounded a
house in Aigburth, Liverpool, after reports of a man brandishing
a gun. He has been charged with possession of a handgun and possession
of ammunition. He is also due to answer charges of attempted armed
robbery, theft and driving offences. The stand-off followed an incident
in Garston when a motorist pulled up and allegedly threatened a
pedestrian with a pistol. The vehicle was traced to Aigburth (Liverpool
Echo, 10 January 2011).
Liverpool Echo,
8 January 2011
A
sawn-off shotgun, broken into pieces and hidden in a bin bag
with cartridges, was found at the home of Craig Jones in Belle Vale,
Merseyside, in July 2010 during a police raid (see
August 2010 Incidents). The gun
had been stolen for a house in Rhyl, North Wales, in 2009 (see
Incidents). Jones pleaded guilty
to possessing a Section 1 firearm, but the court heard the weapon did
not fall under Government guidelines to trigger an automatic five-year
sentence. He was jailed for three years and four months.
Lancashire Telegraph,
8 January 2011
Police
officers found a BB gun and a
crossbow at the home of Brendan Allen in Accrington, Lancashire.
Allen has been convicted of supplying cocaine and cannabis and has been
jailed for 18 months.
Rye
& Battle Observer,
7 January 2011
Alan
Bourne was caught minutes after holding up a bank in Rye, East
Sussex, in September 2010. He pleaded guilty to robbery and possessing
an imitation firearm and has been sentenced to two years in prison. The
gun was a BB handgun.
Oxford Mail,
7 January 2011
A robber
armed with a sawn-off shotgun
walked into a bank in Watlington, Oxfordshire, and demanded staff
put cash into a bag. Police have since recovered what they believe to
be the gun used in the robbery (Oxford Times, 7 January 2011). A
man is in custody on suspicion of armed robbery (Oxford Mail, 8
January 2011). He has been charged with robbery and possession of a
firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence as well as other
robberies on the A404 Bisham by-pass, Berkshire, and in
Checkendon, Oxfordshire (Maidenhead Advertiser, 30 January
2011).
Express & Star,
7 January 2011
Sukhjit
Gill who kept a sawn-off shotgun
at his house in Blakenhall, West Midlands, has pleaded guilty to
aggravated possession of a firearm. The gun was found in a suitcase
with ammunition. He and another man were cleared of being involved in
an incident in which the shotgun was pointed at a woman. He was given a
four-year jail sentence.
Evening Telegraph
(Northamptonshire),
7 January 2011
Details
have been released of an attempted robbery at a filling station in
Corby, Northamptonshire, which took place in December 2010. A
pillion passenger on an off-road motorcycle produced a
single-barrel shotgun and he and
another offender tried to force their way into the kiosk. However, the
staff had called police and the men rode off.
BBC,
7 January 2011
In the
latest armed raid in Hove, East Sussex, a bag of cash was taken
by a man who threatened staff with a gun at a post office. The police
are investigating links with three other robberies at a nearby post
office.
BBC,
7 January 2011
An
air rifle was fired at a train
smashing its windscreen as it travelled under a bridge in Normanton,
West Yorkshire. British Transport Police want to speak to three youths
seen on the bridge.
Nottingham Post,
6 January 2011
A man
arrived at hospital in Nottingham suffering from bullet wounds.
He was in a stable condition after undergoing surgery. Five people have
been arrested and police officers cordoned off a house in Beeston.
Six people have been arrested over the shooting (BBC, 8 January
2011).
Local Guardian,
6 January 2011
It has
been reported that a man was shot in a street in Hook, south west
London, in December 2010. The victim was shot once in the torso.
Descriptions of the attackers have not been released for "operational
reasons".
Liverpool Echo,
6 January 2011
A
17-year-old suspected of robbing a garage in Vauxhall, Liverpool,
whilst armed with a gun was caught by police nearby. He threw his
weapon away. The gun was thought to have been a
BB gun. The weapon has been
recovered. The suspect was charged with robbery and possession of an
imitation firearm with intent to commit an offence (Liverpool Echo,
8 January 2011).
Get
Wokingham,
6 January 2011
A man
has been arrested on suspicion of possession of an
imitation firearm with intent to
cause fear of violence following a confrontation with a paramedic in
Arborfield, Berkshire.
Crosby Herald,
6 January 2011
Two
teenagers have been arrested following two raids on a betting shop in
Crosby, Merseyside, in December 2010. In one of the robberies two
men entered the premises with a suspected firearm and made off with £400
from the till.
Coventry Telegraph,
6 January 2011
Darren
O'Driscoll, a convicted robber, barricaded himself in a flat in
Allesley, Coventry, with a pistol in October 2010 (see
Incidents). A stand-off lasting
over five hours was prompted when police officers arrived with an arrest
warrant. He has been handed a six year six month sentence after
pleading guilty to being in possession of a prohibited firearm and two
counts of being in possession of ammunition without a licence.
BBC,
6 January 2011
A road
sign at Mile Lonnen, County Durham, has been damaged by bullets
from a .22 rifle. Shell casings were found at the scene. The bullets
would have travelled for some distance, putting anyone nearby at risk of
serious harm. A police spokesman said: "The shooter could be someone
with a firearms licence who had recently acquired the gun and was trying
to adjust the sights on the rifle. However this was a very
irresponsible act which could have had disastrous consequences."
Northwich Guardian,
5 January 2011
Matthew
Pullman, 20, has been given a four-year ASBO that bars him from going
into Winsford, Cheshire and restricts him from entering the town
centres in Northwich or Middlewich. He was jailed in December 2009
after he admitted possession of an imitation
firearm and criminal damage following an incident in which he
fired shots at a house in Winsford.
Liverpool Echo,
5 January 2011
A man
has been shot as he was standing outside a takeaway in Wavertree,
Liverpool. He turned up at hospital with wounds to his lower abdomen
and right hip. The injuries are not believed to be life threatening.
Huddersfield Daily Examiner,
5 January 2011
A young
gunman held up a sex shop in Milnsbridge, West Yorkshire. He
threatened a member of staff who gave him £50. The robber ran from the
shop. The attack is being linked to another raid three days later in
Cowlersley.
Herald Express,
5 January 2011
Anthony
Knight who pleaded guilty to a number of drugs offences also pleaded
guilty to possession of a 7.62mm rifle cartridge without holding a
firearms certificate. He had kept the cartridge after finding it on
Dartmoor, Devon. He was ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work.
Derby Telegraph,
5 January 2011
A
teenage girl testing out a metal detector found a handgun buried in a
wood at Chaddesden Wood Nature Reserve in Derby. The gun has
been sent away for a specialist ballistics examination.
Huddersfield Daily Examiner,
4 January 2011
A mother
shopping with her two young children had a gun pointed at her during an
attempted robbery at a shop in Birkby, West Yorkshire. Three
men, one armed with a sawn-off
double-barrelled shotgun, burst into the shop. The alarm was
triggered and the men ran from the scene empty handed.
Haringey Independent,
4 January 2011
A street
corner in Manor House, north London, was cordoned off after
reports of gunshots being fired. No one was injured.
Hackney Citizen,
4 January 2011
Darren
Brissett and Mark Griffiths were stopped whilst driving around
Hackney, east London, in July 2010. Police discovered a pistol and
three rounds of ammunition in the car and when police searched
Griffiths' home in Homerton they found another handgun. Both men
have pleaded guilty, Brissett to possession of a firearm with intent to
endanger life and possession of ammunition and Griffiths' to two
possession charges. He was jailed for seven years and Brissett for five
years.
Cambs Times,
4 January 2011
A robber
walked into a service station in March, Cambridgeshire, and
pointed a handgun at two members of staff. He demanded they open the
till and the safe and took cash before making off.
BBC,
4 January 2011
Five
young men were arrested after reports of a gun being pointed out of a
car in the Meadows area of Nottingham. A vehicle was stopped in
Bulwell shortly afterwards and a weapon was recovered by police.
It was a BB gun. The men were
arrested on suspicion of possessing an imitation firearm with intent to
commit an indictable offence (Nottingham Post, 5 January 2011).
BBC,
4 January 2011
Three
teenagers were robbed in Glossop, Derbyshire, after being
threatened with what is believed to have been a
stun gun. No-one was injured but
the victims had their mobile phones stolen.
Liverpool Echo,
3 January 2011 *
A man
was in a critical condition in hospital after being shot in the arm and
chest in Liverpool. Police were notified by staff at the hospital.
Three men were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Police have
described the incident as "a targeted attack" (Liverpool Echo, 4
January 2011). The victim died in hospital and the death is being
treated in murder. The shooting took place in Anfield (BBC,
10 January 2011). Nine suspects have been arrested in connection with
the murder (Liverpool Echo, 23 February 2011).
Huddersfield Daily Examiner,
3 January 2011
A man
entered a store in Cowlersley, West Yorkshire, brandishing a gun
and demanding cash. The suspect made off with a small amount of cash.
BBC,
1 January 2011
A road
in Radford, Nottingham, was cordoned off by police after a gun
was fired. No one was injured. A man has been arrested on suspicion of
possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life (BBC, 10
January 2011).
BBC,
1 January 2011
A man
was seriously hurt when he was shot in Hackney, east London. He
was in hospital in a life-threatening condition. Several gunshots were
fired near a nightclub. The victim's condition has since improved.
Eight people have been arrested and bailed. A gun was found in a house
in South Hackney but it is not known if it was the weapon used (Hackney
Gazette, 4 January 2011).
BBC,
1 January 2011
A man
and a woman were taken to hospital after a shooting in Croydon,
south London. Neither was in a critical condition. It was later
reported that both had gunshot wounds, the man had been shot in the
chest and the woman in the leg and that a second man had arrived at
hospital with a gunshot wound in the abdomen (Local Guardian, 1
January 2010). Four teenagers who were arrested on suspicion of
attempted murder have been released on bail (BBC, 6 January
2011).
SCOTLAND
Sun,
31 January 2011
A gunman
fired at a property in Maryhill, Glasgow, leaving two large holes
in the living room window. Nobody was injured.
Evening News,
29 January 2011 *
Two men
made off with a three-figure sum of cash after brandishing a handgun at
the owner of a shop in Edinburgh. A man is due to appear in
court charged in connection with the incident (stv, 2 March
2011).
stv,
26 January 2011
A woman
threatened another woman who was working in a newsagents' in
Danderhall, Midlothian, with a handgun and made off with a
three-figure sum of cash and several packs of cigarettes.
Paisley Daily Express,
25 January 2011
Four
workers at a social club in Linwood, Renfrewshire, were robbed at
gunpoint by two men. One of the raiders was armed with a handgun, the
other had a machete. The club's manageress was dragged along the ground
by the hair before being forced to open the safe and hand over thousands
of pounds worth of takings.
stv,
24 January 2011
Mark
Connelly waved a wartime handgun at a group of teenagers while he was
drunk. He was branded "irresponsible and foolish" by a judge following
the incident in Linwood, Renfrewshire, in January 2010. He
admitted possessing the prohibited weapon without holding a firearms
certificate. He was ordered to carry out 400 hours community service.
The gun, which was unloaded and incapable of firing bullets, was a war
memento which had previously belonged to Connelly's grandfather.
Allan Water News,
20 January 2011
A man
has appeared in court after a firearms incident charged with possessing
and recklessly discharging a weapon in Bridge of Allan,
Stirlingshire. He also faced charges of assault and breach of the
peace.
stv,
19 January 2011
A
man entered a bookmaker's in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, and
threatened two members of staff with a firearm. He escaped with a sum
of money.
stv,
18 January 2011
A gunman
robbed a woman as she walked in the West End of Glasgow. He
tapped her on the shoulder before threatened her with a handgun. He ran
off with her handbag.
BBC,
18 January 2011
John
Fulton has admitted carrying out a raid on a post office with a firearm
or imitation gun. The raid took
place in Toryglen, Glasgow, in December 2009 (see
Incidents) during which Fulton
pointed a handgun at an employee and demanded cash. He has been jailed
for four years.
BBC,
15 January 2011
A man
holding a holdall which staff believed to contain a firearm entered a
bookmakers in the south side of Glasgow and stole a three figure
sum of money.
BBC,
14 January 2011
A
handgun and four bullets were seized along with drugs from a house in
Sighthill, Glasgow. Two men and a woman were arrested.
BBC,
6 January 2011
John
Morrison fired an imitation pistol
during a robbery at a store in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, in
November 2009 (see
Incidents). The pellet struck a
member of staff on the hand. He was found guilty of assaulting and
robbing two staff members and of breaching the Firearms Act by having a
loaded weapon with intent to commit an offence. He has been jailed for
three years.
BBC,
5 January 2011
A man
armed with what appeared to be a firearm threatened two members of staff
at a bookmakers in the east end of Glasgow. He made off with a
small amount of cash.
WALES
Flintshire Chronicle,
27 January 2011
A man
from Mold, Flintshire, who ordered a 116-year-old revolver from a
gun dealer in the USA over the internet was found not guilty of buying a
prohibited weapon without the authority of the Secretary of State. He
changed his mind and cancelled the order but the weapon had already been
dispatched and an arrangement was made that he would return it. The
package was intercepted by the Border Agency. The gun was in working
order. The only issue in the case was whether the pistol was an antique
bought as a curiosity or ornament which would make it exempt from the
legislation.
Western Telegraph,
13 January 2011
A man
arrested at his home in Newport, Pembrokeshire, has been
cautioned and bailed after officers found an alleged stolen
shotgun at his home.
Wales Online,
13 January 2011
Two men,
one holding what appeared to be a handgun, demanded money from staff at
a newsagent in Gabalfa, Cardiff. Nothing was stolen during the
incident.
Milford & West Wales Mercury,
13 January 2011
A man
who is alleged to have dressed in camouflage clothing and claiming to be
in the SAS threatened a group of teenagers with a rifle is on trial
accused of possessing a firearm with the intention of causing fear of
violence. The incident is alleged to have taken place in Milford
Haven, Pembrokeshire, in June 2010. He is alleged to have been
drinking lager on top of prescribed medication at the time. The weapon
was an air rifle powerful enough
to be classed as a firearm. A jury found him not guilty (Milford &
West Wales Mercury, 20 January 2011).
South Wales Argus,
7 January 2011
Revellers at a nightclub in Abergavenny, Gwent, were left
traumatised after a man brandished an air
pistol and threatened staff. A man has been arrested on
suspicion of possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of
violence and making threats to kill.
INCIDENTS INVOLVING ANIMALS
Get
Surrey,
28 January 2011
A family
is appealing for information after their cat was shot and left severely
injured in Godalming, Surrey. Her shoulder was shattered and
fractured in several places. The family are uncertain whether the shot
was from an air rifle or something else.
Echo,
26 January 2011
A kitten
was shot with an air rifle at
point-blank range in Hockley, Essex. She was left with serious
injuries after a pellet travelled through her body and lodged in her
colon.
Fakenham & Wells Times,
24 January 2011 *
A head
gamekeeper at an estate in Holkham, Norfolk, has been charged
with a string of offences after an investigation by police following the
death of a wild bird. Among the charges are possessing ammunition for a
firearm without a certificate, possessing a shotgun or rifle for
committing a wildlife offence and possessing a
shotgun without a certificate. He
has been suspended from his job. He has pleaded not guilty to four
charges (Eastern Daily Press, 3 March 2011).
Stratford-upon-Avon Herald,
21 January 2011
An
air rifle pellet was removed from the
back leg of a cat from Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. His
owner has issued an appeal to anyone who knows any information about who
shot her cat.
South Wales Echo,
21 January 2011
A cat is
recovering after being shot in the face for the fourth time. After the
latest attack he came back to his home in Llanrumney, Cardiff,
bleeding and in agony. An airgun
pellet had been fired at point-blank range and destroyed his left eye.
North Wales Weekly News,
20 January 2011
A cat
has been shot with an airgun in
Llysfaen, Conwy. He has had to endure several long operations in
which his spleen and parts of his intestines were removed.
Cynon Valley Leader,
13 January 2011
A cat
has been shot twice with an air rifle
in Cefnpennar, Mid Glamorgan, and has had to have a leg
amputated. His owners thought he had been hit by a car but X-rays
revealed he had been shot.
Horncastle News,
12 January 2011
A cat
from Tattershall, Lincolnshire, is recovering from live-saving
surgery after surviving a third shooting in nine months. In the latest
attack he was shot with an air rifle
and suffered serious bowel injuries. A pellet had penetrated the bowel
in several places, causing a lot of damage.
Bedford Today,
10 January 2011
A racing
pigeon has been shot and killed by an air
rifle pellet. The bird was found on a rooftop neighbouring
the owner's property in Lidlington, Bedfordshire, after he heard
a crackle from what is believed to be an air rifle. The pigeon had what
appeared to be a pellet wound in its neck.
Sun,
6 January 2011
Arran
Munro, 18, shot down seagulls and crows from a window in the centre of
Peebles in July 2010. He has admitted recklessly discharging an
air rifle.
Evening Courier,
6 January 2011
Seven
geese and two ducks have been shot dead on the banks of the River Calder
in Todmorden, West Yorkshire. Another goose was shot in the head
but survived. It is believed they were shot with some kind of
air weapon.
