MARCH 2007
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
BBC,
31 March 2007
A 19-year-old was in hospital
after being shot in the stomach with what is thought to be a
BB gun. The victim was walking with
friends when he was confronted by a gang o younger youths in Trentham,
Stoke-on-Trent. Shots were fired and the gang ran off in different
directions. The victim's injuries were not thought to be life
threatening.
BBC,
31 March 2007 *
Three people were taken to
hospital after a shooting at a pub in Nechells, Birmingham.
One of the victims was described as critically ill. A licensing
committee at Birmingham Magistrates' Court has dismissed an appeal for the
pub to be reopened (BBC, 31 January 2008).
Huddersfield Daily Examiner,
30 March 2007
Shane Thomas was convicted of
murder and given a 25 year sentence, Darren Foley admitted murder and was
given an 18 year sentence, and two other men, Jamie Hislop and Igor Simic,
got five year sentences for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice
following the death of man in Dewsbury in December 2005 (see
Incidents).
The victim was shot dead at a nightclub. The weapon used had been
reactivated and the judge urged the
Government to cut gun crime by ensuring weapons which are deactivated are
immediately destroyed rather than risk them being brought back into
working order. Thomas was later sentenced to four years or drug
offences, the sentence to run concurrently with the life sentence (Huddersfield
Daily Examiner, 4 April 2007).
Croydon Guardian,
30 March 2007
An 18-year-old has been
charged with possession of a firearm and prohibited weapons after a
handgun was found wrapped in a sock in a bag at a YMCA hostel in
Croydon. He was also charged with possession of cannabis.
BBC,
30 March 2007
Kevin Brown and Jonathan
McAvoy will serve at least 11 years and at least 5 years in jail,
respectively, after pleading guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit
robbery and firearms offences. The pair were seen approaching a cash
transit vehicle making a delivery to a petrol station in Sidcup in
September 2005 (see Incidents).
They were stopped by armed police officers. Two loaded firearms,
ammunition and a stun gun were found. Both had a history of violence
and use of firearms.
BBC,
30 March 2007
Two robbers wielding a handgun
threatened a woman cashier at a service station near Bristol before
making off with cigarettes and cash. The victim was left in shock by
uninjured.
Manchester Evening News,
29 March 2007
Police believe that a gunman
who fired eight shots at a front door in Longsight may have been
targeting the wrong house. A woman was woken by the sound of a loud
bang and then breaking glass.
BBC,
29 March 2007
A teenage boy was shot in the
foot by an armed gang in Camberwell Road, south east London.
The 17-year-old victim had been with a friend when they were approached by
four men.
BBC,
29 March 2007
Two men who threatened a shop
assistant with a handgun at a store in Farnborough demanded she
hand over the takings but ran away empty handed.
Barking & Dagenham Post,
29 March 2007
Gary Gibbons, 19, and David
Parson, 18, robbed an off-licence in Barking in August 2006 armed
with a loaded ball-bearing gun.
They stole a packet of cigarettes after pointing the gun at the head of
the shopkeeper. Gibbons was sentenced to a total of
five-and-a-half-years, and Pearson to four years.
Yorkshire Evening Post,
28 March 2007
A man was shot by a masked
gunman shortly after turning up at a house party in Brackenhall,
Huddersfield. The victim was shot once in the leg by a man armed
with a handgun.
Redditch Advertiser,
28 March 2007
David McDonald has been
ordered to do 150 hours unpaid work for the community after being found
with a machete and three imitation guns
in his car. Police had been called to a domestic disturbance in
Redditch in July 2006. It was claimed that he had no
intention of using the weapons in a criminal way.
Kent News,
28 March 2007
A gunman held up a store at a
retail park in Ashford. He ordered a shop worker to hand over
money and warned that he if complied he would not get hurt. A large
quantity of cash was taken.
ic Berkshire,
28 March 2007
Julian Freeman threatened a
woman after a road rage confrontation in Bracknell in April 2006.
After she tackled him about his persistent tailgating, he pulled out a
paintball gun which his victim though was
a real firearm. His defence counsel described the incident as a
prank ("to Mr Freeman it wasn't a serious matter"). His victim
thought otherwise: "He wanted to kill me. Why? The fact that
the weapon turned out to be a replica wasn't even a relief". Freeman was
jailed for 18 months.
Hunts Post,
28 March 2007
Daniel Youthed took pot-shots
with an air rifle at a neighbour's
satellite dish in Huntingdon because he was bored. He has
admitted criminal damage. In addition to damaging the dish damage
was caused to a window frame and a window. Sentencing will take
place in April.
BBC,
28 March 2007 *
A murder investigation was
launched after two people were found shot at a house in Abbey Wood,
south east London. Both were declared dead at the scene.
Police were keeping an open mind regarding the circumstances of the
deaths. An inquest heard that Mark Williams, who had absconded from
open prison, shot dead his lover and then shot himself with a sawn-off
shotgun (News Shopper, 27 July 2007).
West Yorkshire Police,
27 March 2007
Cash, a shotgun and another
gun were recovered and six men arrested following a report of a
disturbance in Huddersfield. Police had found a car which is
believed to have been damaged by a shotgun while unoccupied. The
guns
were recovered from addresses in the Fixby and Newsome areas.
ic Surrey,
27 March 2007
Jamie Lane is facing a long
jail sentence after a bungled hold-up in which he left a bullet lodged in
a petrol station cashier's skull. He had tried to get the victim to
open the till at a garage in Hooley in July 2006 and ended up with
less money than he started with after handing over a £5 note. He
denied attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm but was convicted
of the latter. He had pleaded guilty to attempted robbery,
possession of a firearm with intent to commit robbery and possession of
ammunition. Sentencing was adjourned. Miraculously the victim
was not killed. The bullet was removed by surgeons. Lane has
been sent to jail for 12 years (BBC, 4 May 2007).
Coventry Evening Telegraph,
27 March 2007
A street in Hillfields,
Coventry, was sealed off for hours after a man was shot in the hand
following a lunchtime dispute. The injuries were described as very
minor.
Birmingham Mail,
27 March 2007
Arron Alston Rowe, 19, pleaded
guilty to charges of attempted robbery and possessing an
imitation firearm following an incident
at a bookmakers in Chelmsley Wood in April 2006. He was
sentenced to two-and-a-half years detention. Rowe was one of three
young men involved. One of the robbers pointed an airgun at two
female members of staff but the robbers appeared to have been disturbed
and ran from the shop. An air pistol was found in a nearby alley
along with other items which were linked to Rowe.
BBC,
27 March 2007
Bradley Tucker, 18, has been
found guilty of murdering a man outside his home in Canning Town
(east London) in August 2006
(see Incidents).
The shooting came seven months after another incident in which the victim
was stabbed. During the trial it
was revealed that the weapon used, which has not been recovered by police, was likely to
have been a converted self-loading blank-firing
pistol (BBC, 7 March 2007). Tucker had admitted manslaughter,
saying that he only meant to scare his victim, but had denied murder.
He will sentenced at a later date. An unnamed 17-year-old was
cleared of murder.
BBC,
26 March 2007 *
A 17-year-old man has been
arrested after allegedly waving a handgun at motorists in Guisborough,
Teeside. It is suspected that the gun was used to threaten a woman
moments earlier. The weapon was later found to be a
ball-bearing gun and the teenager awaits
sentencing for possession of an imitation firearm and a public order act of
affray (see March 2008 Incidents).
The News (Portsmouth),
26 March 2007
A KFC restaurant in
Portsmouth was held up by an armed robber as staff counted the takings.
After forcing staff into an upstairs room the gunman stole £1,500.
Police are now looking to see if the raid is linked to two other similar
robberies that occurred in Portsmouth in January and February 2007.
Ealing Times,
26 March 2007
Police have released a picture
of a man who beat a woman with a handgun before stealing jewellery from her
home in Kingston in December 2006.
BBC,
25 March 2007 *
A man is being questioned by
police after a shooting at a pub in Leicester in which two men
suffered gunshot wounds to their legs. Two other men sustained stab
wounds in the incident. The victims were taken to hospital where they
are all "stable". The man arrested has been released pending
further inquiries by police (BBC, 26 March 2007). A man has
admitted that he accidentally shot himself and has been jailed for five
years (see January 2008 Incidents).
Gazette & Herald,
24 March 2007
A gunman burst into a house in
Penhill, Swindon, and demanded money before escaping with tobacco.
Eastern Daily Press,
24 March 2007
Scott Watkins, 20, pointed a
ball-bearing gun at the head of a
customer when he robbed a convenience store in Gorleston in September
2006 with an accomplice. He was handed £370 from the till and some
lottery scratch cards by a member of staff. He admitted the robbery
and being in possession of the weapon and was sent to a young offenders
institution for four years and nine months.
This is Wiltshire,
22 March 2007 *
Simon Ling, 19, has been given
an 18-month custodial sentence for his part in a rampage of destruction and
vandalism through a number of Hampshire and Wiltshire villages in September
2006 (see Incidents).
The shooting spree resulted in more than 80 reports of criminal damage from
people in New Milton, Fordingbridge, Ringwood, Hale,
Woodfalls, Downton and Redlynch. The cost of the damages
was estimated at more than £9000. Ling owned a
gas-powered semi-automatic 15-shot airgun
that fired 4.5mm metal pellets, a weapon which he kept in his car.
Ling drove his car home from a party from New Milton to Redlynch while the
14-year-old fired the gun from the car window. Ling was sentenced for
possessing a firearm while committing an offence, with concurrent sentences
for 11 counts of criminal damage. His airguns and car were
confiscated. His younger accomplice was given a two-year supervision
order including community work and a three-month curfew. Ling later
failed in a challenge against his sentence (Salisbury Journal, 15
June 2007).
Argus (Brighton),
22 March 2007
A black market in
imitation firearms has been uncovered in a school playground.
A 12-year-old pupil is believed to have brought in four BB guns which were
circulated among his classmates at a school in Brighton. The
racket was discovered after one boy fired a gun in a classroom. A
number of pupils have been suspended.
This is South Devon,
21 March 2007
A revolver and rifle found at
the home of Lewis Parker at Denbury Cross, Devon, could easily have
been used to kill someone according to a firearms expert. Parker was
jailed for five years after pleading guilty to possessing a prohibited
weapon, possessing a sports rifle without a certificate and possessing
ammunition. Police went to his house following a row between Parker
and his estranged wife. He argued that the weapons were to defend
his home from intruders.
Liverpool Echo,
21 March 2007
Police found a cache of
weapons and ammunition hidden in undergrowth in the grounds of Halewood
Country Park. They had received a tip-off from local residents.
The weapons included two pistols, a shotgun, a machine pistol and a
revolver. In a separate incident police found a shotgun and
ammunition at a house in Kirkby and a local woman was arrested at
the scene on suspicion of possession of a shotgun.
Bexley Times,
21 March 2007
An off-licence manager who was
held at gunpoint during a robbery in Sidcup in December 2006 has
described it as "disheartening" that no one from the police had been in
touch to say how the case was going. The two robbers stole £4000 in
cash and £3198 in cigarettes.
BBC,
19 March 2007
A man is feared paralysed
after being shot several times in a car park outside a club in
Harlesden, west London. He had suffered "life-changing
injuries". He was attacked by up to six men, one of whom then shot
him with a handgun.
The Argus (Brighton),
19 March 2007
Armed police from Sussex were
dispatched to deal with two gun-toting men in two separate incidents.
In Worthing a man was reported to be waving a gun around as he
walked along a street. He was arrested on suspicion of possessing a
firearm but was later released on police bail. At the recreation
ground in Bexhill police subdued a man with a Taser stun gun.
He was one of two men in their 20s arrested after one of the duo was
alleged to have pulled a gun on a motorist.
BBC,
18 March 2007
A man was shot in the leg in a
pub in Bloxwich, in the Black Country. A number of people
were taken into police custody. One man was being treated in
hospital for gunshot wounds, another was treated by ambulance crews at the
scene for head injuries.
Bedford Today,
17 March 2007
Detectives in Luton are
appealing for help in identifying a man caught in a CCTV picture.
The man is wanted in connection with an incident in which he broke two pub
windows before leaving with a group of people. He had what appeared
to be a small silver gun in his hand.
This is Hampshire,
16 March 2007
Police disarmed a 16-year-old
youth who had an imitation firearm in
Andover town centre. Officers were called after receiving
reports that a youth was carrying a gun.
MK News,
16 March 2007
A man stormed into a Chinese
takeaway in New Bradwell waving a gun and demanding cash but left
empty handed.
Hartlepool Mail,
16 March 2007
Peter Jenkins, who was banned
from owning firearms for life, was found with a stolen gun and ammunition.
Police officers found a Browning shotgun, along with 200 cartridges in a
car belonging to Jenkins. The shotgun and ammunition had been taken
from a property during a burglary in Hartlepool. Jenkins
pleaded guilty to a number of offences including possessing a firearm and
ammunition in public and possessing of a firearm while being prohibited
from possessing such a weapon for life. Sentencing has been
deferred.
ic Croydon,
16 March 2007
Daniel Brady, 21, has been given a
five-year prison term for a number of crimes, including an incident in
Purley in which he fired shots outside his old school in front of
terrified pupils. The incident occurred in June 2006 when Brady was
still on parole. His father revealed that the reason his son ended
up firing two blanks from an imitation gun
was because he was standing up for his sister who was being hassled by
school friends. The imitation gun was found two months later in the
boot of his car, along with a sawn-off shotgun, ammunition and a
balaclava. His father said "He has always been very fond of guns".
Brady pleaded guilty to firing an imitation gun and to possessing a sawn-off
shotgun and was also found guilty of possessing a gun with intent to rob
and intent to cause fear.
Worcester News,
15 March 2007
George Cowley, a regular
correspondent to Worcester News, has spoken out after being shot at
by two teenagers with an airgun last
month. He was outside his neighbour's flat in Warndon when,
after someone shouted his name, two teenage boys fired two shots at him.
Fortunately they missed, but he says they could have blinded or killed
him. Police are investigating the incident.
This is Cheshire,
15 March 2007
A man was shot in the leg when
he answered the door at a house in Padgate, Warrington. The
victim was being treated in hospital but was not believed to be in a
serious condition. Police believe that the shooting was a targeted
attack.
North-West Evening Mail,
15 March 2007
Jason Froggart fired an
airgun through a letter box at his
friend's mother's home after he suspected him of burgling his flat in
Barrow. The shot hit a woman in the hand which she had in her
pocket and the pellet was later found in the pocket. It was one of
a series of incidents between Froggart and the other man during one night in January. Police arrested Froggart at his home and found the
gun and pellets. The gun had been placed on a tripod and was
facing the front door of the flat. Froggart was sentenced to 30 months
in prison.
ic Surrey,
15 March 2007
Armed police were called to
the centre of Reigate after reports of a man brandishing a gun.
It turned out to be students filming. Two local colleges said that,
as far as they knew, none of their students were involved in any filming
as part of their college activities. A police spokesman said that
"People should not have imitation firearms
in a public place. Not only will it cause unnecessary alarm and
concern among the public, but will result in a very positive police
response."
The Gazette (Blackpool),
15 March 2007
Hugh Kilday claimed that
pointing a handgun at shocked staff at a takeaway in Blackpool was
a prank following a £100 bet. Kilday was kicked and pushed out of
the shop by staff as customers fled. He pleaded guilty to
charges of attempted robbery and possessing an
imitation firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence
in August 2006. He was given a community order, which will involve
two years of supervision and two years' drug rehabilitation.
BBC,
15 March 2007
Dozens of shotgun cartridges,
bullets and several artillery shells, some of them live, were found inside
recycled material bins at a recycling facility in Fengate,
Peterborough. The production line had to be closed down each time
shells were found. Police said that ammunition, whether spent or
live, should be handed into police or a registered firearms dealer.
BBC,
15 March 2007
A man has been arrested after
gun shots were heard in Shelton, Derby. Police found a
firearm after a search.
BBC,
15 March 2007
Seventeen primary school
children were shot with plastic pellets at a school in Rugeley,
Staffordshire. A BB gun was
fired at them in the playground. It is thought that three boys from
a different school had fired on the pupils from nearby bushes. The
victims, aged between seven and 11 suffered bruising. Three
12-year-old boys have now been arrested and a total of four BB guns
recovered (In the News, 16 March 2007). A fourth boy has now
been arrested (Express & Star, 19 March 2007). Three of
the boys have been given a final warning (see
May 2007 Incidents). Brereton
and Ravenhill Parish Council is writing to Home Secretary John Reid to
call for a change in the law so that ball-bearing guns are completely
banned (Express & Star, 6 April 2007).
Wimbledon Guardian,
14 March 2007
Police were threatened by a
gang at gunpoint after concerned residents called officers to Barnes
after a group of men were seen acting suspiciously. The three made
off as soon as police arrived and were chased on foot where one aimed a
single-barrel sawn-off shotgun at officers and threatened them. No
shots were fired.
BBC,
14 March 2007
A 15-year-old boy was shot
with a Taser gun during an armed police raid in Moss Side,
Manchester. The boy began threatening officers during the search of
a property. Another man was detained in the raid and charged in
connection with a shooting in Rusholme. A number of arrests
were made after a firearm was found at the property.
BBC,
14 March 2007 *
A taxi driver has been shot
dead in the Pitsmoor area of Sheffield. He was found with
gunshot wounds after police responded to reports of a road crash and shots
being fired. The death follows two other gunpoint robberies in the
city last month. Two brothers have been found guilty of murder and
given lengthy jail sentences (see
April 2008 Incidents).
BBC,
13 March 2007
Two refuse collectors were
injured after they were fired on by a man wielding what police believe was
an airgun. The incident took
place in Kettering, Northants. One man was hit in the neck,
the other in the back and both suffered bruising. Officers later
searched a house and seized a weapon and ammunition. A 28-year-old
man was bailed pending further investigations (BBC, 14 March 2007).
This is London,
12 March 2007
A teenager obsessed with
violent horror films butchered two friends with a knife in an attack in
Wokingham. 18-year-old Thomas Palmer had been drinking alcohol with
his two friends when an argument broke out about his mother and in a
savage and brutal attack with a hunting knife he killed the two boys.
The court heard he had a collection of weapons and enjoyed killing animals
with his airgun. He was a keen
member of the army cadets.
News Shopper,
12 March 2007
A man will appear in court
charged with possession of an imitation firearm
with intent. Police were called to a domestic incident at an
apartment in Bromley after reports of a man armed with a gun.
The Argus (Brighton),
12 March 2007
Residents called police after
Martin Skinner took pot shots at a chimney cover or cowling from his home
in Bevendean. The cover had been peppered by 17 shots from an
air
rifle during the attack in July 2006. Officers noticed items connected with cannabis in the room as Skinner signed documents to say he
did not want the gun any more. Skinner admitted criminal damage and
possessing cannabis resin and ecstasy but denied possessing a firearm and
the charge was ordered to lie on file. Skinner was given a 12 month
conditional discharge and ordered to pay £100 compensation and £350 towards
prosecution costs.
This is London,
11 March 2007 *
A 21-year-old student was shot
in front of his horrified friends after trouble flared at a hip hop
concert held at Loughborough University in Leicestershire.
Six other people were taken to hospital suffering from injuries and the
effects of CS gas. The shooting victim was recovering in hospital.
A man has been jailed for a minimum of 14 years (see
April 2008 Incidents).
This is London,
10 March 2007
A woman who had been awarded a
record divorce payout has been tied up and robbed of jewellery worth
£300,000 in an armed raid on her home on the outskirts of Sevenoaks,
Kent. She was discovered and released 20 minutes later when one of
her sons returned home. The intruder was brandishing a gun but there
were no obvious signs of a break-in and neighbours in the street said they
knew nothing about the robbery.
This is Lancashire,
10 March 2007
James Mason threatened a woman
with a 12-bore shotgun after his sheep and lambs had been attacked by
out-of-control dogs at his hill farm in Haslingden. An armed
response unit was called and found four shotguns, a .22 rifle and more
that 2,500 round of ammunition at his property and Mason made menacing
comments as police arrested him. His gun licence had lapsed, but his
elderly father had a certificate. Mason admitted affray and
possessing a firearm without a certificate in October 2005 and was given
11 months in jail, suspended for two years with supervision, and the
weapon was confiscated.
The Star (Sheffield),
10 March 2007 *
A man is due to appear before
magistrates charged with the murder of a man who was shot dead at an
isolated spot near Halifax in February 11. He died from
multiple gunshot wounds shortly after arriving at hospital. Two
other men arrested over the murder have been released on bail (Evening
Courier, 5 July 2007).
BBC,
10 March 2007
Detectives were trying to
trace a person who fired a gun at a house in Gorton, Greater
Manchester. A couple and three young children were in the property
when a bullet was shot through a window and embedded itself in a wall.
Sun,
9 March 2007
Trainee officers with the TA
from York University filmed a mock terror execution while on an
exercise and then placed the film on YouTube under the title York Cowboys
4. The video has now been removed. A senior Army spokesman
said "The weapon used was some sort of plastic
airgun".
Hucknall Today,
9 March 2007
Adam Fett held a doctor and
two nurses at gunpoint in a hospital in Birmingham in December 2006
(see Incidents).
He robbed one of the nurses of morphine while holding an
imitation gun. He admitted robbery
and possession of an imitation firearm and will be sentenced next month.
Ealing Times,
9 March 2007
A driver who was stopped
during an operation by Ealing Council in Acton had an "extremely
life-like" imitation shotgun in full
view. Police were called to the scene and arrested the man.
Cannabis was also found in his car.
BBC,
9 March 2007
A 16-year-old boy has been
arrested in connection with the shooting of another teenager in
Croxteth, Merseyside. The victim suffered pellet injuries to his
thigh and calf in what police said was a "targeted" attack.
A 19-year-old and a 17-year-old will appear before magistrates charged
with firearms offences. The 17-year-old has been charged with
possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and the
19-year-old has been charged with possession of a firearm. The
16-year-old and another 19-year-old were arrested on suspicion of
possession of a firearm and possession of cannabis and have been released
on police bail (BBC, 12 March 2007).
South Manchester Reporter,
8 March 2007
A church in Northenden,
Greater Manchester, has come under fire from youths using ball-bearing
guns. Windows have been smashed by youngsters taking pot shots.
South Manchester Reporter,
8 March 2007
An investigation is being
carried out at a Didsbury school after a
ball-bearing gun was fired. The gun was found in a school
car park after the incident in January. One 13-year-old pupil has
been permanently excluded. The boy's mother has claimed his
innocence though says that he does admit that he held the gun.
Express & Star,
8 March 2007
Raiders stole more than 20
imitation "ball-bearing guns" from a shop
in Cannock. They were taken from the walls of the store and
were worth a total of up to £10,000. The report said that the guns
were intended for use in airsoft.
One of the store's owners is quoted as saying: "There is a slim chance
they will be used for illegal purposes but I think it is more likely they
will be sold back into the airsoft community".
South Yorkshire Police,
7 March 2007
Doncaster police are appealing
for information following an alleged burglary in Askern in which
three firearms were stolen, a Baikal shotgun with a cherry walnut stock
(which needs a licence), a Wierach spring powered
air rifle and a Thoeben Fenman gas ram
air rifle.
Shields Gazette,
7 March 2007
A teenage assistant manager of
a store in Jarrow has told how he still suffers flashbacks after
being robbed at gunpoint at the shop. The robber was brandishing
what is thought to be a double-barrelled shotgun and leapt over the
counter, demanding cash from the victim. Two members of the public
came to his aid and the robber made his escape with less than £100.
The store owners are offering a £2000 reward for any information which
leads to arrest and conviction. One man has been arrested and bailed
pending further inquiries.
ic Surrey,
7 March 2007
An inquest into the death of a
mother-of-two who was shot dead at her home in Lowfield Heath, West
Sussex, in January, has been opened and adjourned. She was found
dead in an armchair with a large gunshot wound to her throat. The
provisional cause of death has been given as being a shotgun injury to the
neck and chest. Her husband has been arrested and charged with
murder.
Herts24,
7 March 2007
A youth, believed to have been
armed with an air rifle, caused
thousands of pounds worth of damage in Welham Green, Hertfordshire.
He took pot shots at cars and windows His attacks finally came to an
end when a resident saw him take aim at a shop window and made a phone
call to the police. The police said that they knew a number of
people had heard something in the night but never called the police.
Further investigations have, however, failed to identify the actual weapon
used in the attacks (Herts 24, 14 March 2007).
East London Advertiser,
7 March 2007
Ali Karlim, who was caught
stealing a scarf at a West End store in London, had an
air pistol stuffed into his sock when he
was arrested at Marble Arch in September 2006. He was told by
the judge that "Carrying a loaded air gun in public, in the current
climate in our country, is extremely serious" and was jailed for 2 years.
This is Cheshire,
6 March 2007
Joseph Powell has admitted
robbery, possessing an imitation firearm
and attempted robbery. He had raided betting shops in Trafford
Park and Old Trafford over a six-day period in May and June
2006. He threatened to shoot one of the bookmakers. Powell
turned to robbery to pay off drug dealers who were going to harm him,
according to his defence counsel. He has been jailed indefinitely.
Ilford Recorder,
6 March 2007
Two armed robbers threatened
guards with a handgun before snatching a cashbox in a raid in South
Woodford, north east London.
Shropshire Star,
5 March 2007
A man was arrested in
Shrewsbury after allegedly shooting at people with an
air rifle. Armed police were sent after
reports of a gun being fired from the window of a terraced house.
One victim, aged 19, felt a sharp pain in his back but was unaware he had
been shot until police informed people what was going on.
Scotsman,
5 March 2007
A 21-year-old was shot dead in
Harlesden, north west London. He had suffered multiple
gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Metro,
5 March 2007
A gunman pulled out a firearm
during a fight outside a nightclub in Forest Gate, east London, and
shot a man from a distance of less than 4 ft. The victim managed to
escape when the gun misfired. A 21-year-old man was arrested and
later charged.
BBC,
5 March 2007 *
A man was shot in the leg
while he was sitting in a pub in Blackley, Greater Manchester.
His condition was described as serious but stable.
BBC,
5 March 2007
Jason Campbell will serve a
minimum of 30 years for the murder of a man who was fatally wounded as he
sat in his car with friends in a car park in Streatham, south
London, in January 2006 (see
Incidents). Campbell was one of three men who tried to
rob the men in the car. The victim was shot as he tried to escape
and later died from a gunshot wound to the chest. Daniel Springer
was also jailed for 12 years for manslaughter. Both men were
convicted of three counts of robbery and Campbell pleaded guilty to
firearms offences.
BBC,
4 March 2007
A police officer was shot by a
youth in Peckham, south London, but was unhurt. No one had
been arrested and police would not say what type of firearm was used.
BBC,
3 March 2007
A van parked in a driveway in
Weybourne, Surrey, was damaged when someone fired a gun into the
back of it. There were three gunshot holes which will cost about
£2,000 to repair.
BBC,
3 March 2007
Two men entered a shop in
Burtonwood, near Warrington, and threatened shoppers and staff with a
gun. They made off on foot with a quantity of cash. No one was
injured in the robbery, but some people have been left traumatised.
A 15-year-old girl had a gun pushed into her back (Daily Post, 5
March 2007).
This is Hampshire,
2 March 2007
Three men are on trial accused
of robbery, conspiracy to rob and having a 9 mm pistol after a robbery at
warehouse premises at Heathrow Airport in February 2004 when £1.75m
was stolen.
Evening Chronicle (Newcastle),
2 March 2007
Tommy Laws has been given an
indefinite sentence with a minimum of five years in jail for staging a
terrifying hold-up at gunpoint. His 18-year-old victim had a small
imitation pistol held to his head
while Laws threatened to kill him and stole an MP3 player, bank card and
silver chain during the attack near North Shields Metro station in
September 2006. He admitted robbery and possessing an imitation
firearm.
BBC,
2 March 2007
Two teenagers, aged 14 and 15,
were arrested after a handgun was recovered from a house in Great Barr,
Birmingham. It was not clear whether the find was related to a
report of shots being fired in the same road.
Worcester News,
1 March 2007
Staff and children as a school
in Kidderminster were warned to stay in after police went to a
domestic incident. There were unconfirmed reports that a firearm may
have been involved.
West Yorkshire Police,
1 March 2007
Police are appealing for
witnesses following an incident in West Bowling, Bradford, in which
a firearm was discharged at a house. No one was injured but damage
was caused to the house.
Ellesmere Port Pioneer,
1 March 2007
A security guard was
threatened with a gun during a raid in Little Sutton. A
robber pressed a black pistol into the man's side before escaping with a
case of money.
Birmingham Mail,
1 March 2007
Two 17-year-olds, Jerome
Scully and Dominic Waite, shot three victims in the face at point blank
range with ball-bearing guns during a
three-hour orgy of robbery and violence in Birmingham. The two
fronted a five-strong gang which cruised the city indiscriminately
attacking passers-by. The offences occurred in Handsworth,
Winson Green, Bearwood, Aston, Ward End and
Dudley Road. The pair were told they must serve at least
four-and-a-half years for 19 counts of firearms offences, robbery, GBH and
attempted robbery.
BBC,
1 March 2007
Two masked raiders burst into
a farm in Quornford near Leek. They tied up the occupant and
his friend before turning a shotgun on a dog and escaping with £3,000 in
cash. The dog received serious head injuries and is being treated by
a local vet.
BBC,
1 March 2007
Eight people have been
arrested and firearms seized after police raided 21 houses in
Manchester as part of an ongoing crackdown on gun crime. Two
were arrested on suspicion of possessing ammunition, three for attempted
murder, one for possession of a firearm, and two for drugs offences.
Two handguns, components and a quantity of ammunition were recovered.
SCOTLAND
Record,
29 March 2007
John Young threatened to shoot
a shop assistant in Edinburgh before he fled with an empty till
drawer. He had gone into the shop and pulled an
airgun out of a bag in December 2006.
He admitted carrying out the raid. Sentencing was deferred for
reports.
ic Renfrewshire,
28 March 2007
A man drinking in a pub in
Renfrew dropped a pistol on the floor, then quickly picked it up and
walked out. Police received an anonymous call about the incident and
the armed man was found sitting outside a tenement close with a firearm
lying on the ground beside him. The man was arrested and was charged
under the Firearms Act.
BBC,
28 March 2007
Police have traced a man from
Galashiels after videos of people wearing balaclavas and pretending
to fire weapons were posted on YouTube. Police have described his
actions as an "ill-judged publicity stunt". Imitation
guns have been recovered. The videos have been condemned
as "offensive".
BBC,
28 March 2007
Police were tipped off that
there were weapons at the house of Hamilton Fisher in Knightswood,
Glasgow. Fisher pleaded guilty to possessing a PA-63 self-loading
pistol without a firearms certificate and admitted a breach of the
Firearms Act by having a "prohibited weapon" with a barrel less than 30cm
long. He also admitted possessing a stun gun without a firearms
certificate. He was jailed for five years.
Falkirk Herald,
22 March 2007
Three terrified schoolgirls were
shot at as they walked to classes in Falkirk. They were
peppered with pellets from a BB gun
outside the school. Although not seriously hurt they were marked where
the pellets had hit. Two youths will be the subject of a report to the
Children's Reporter in connection with culpable and reckless conduct.
In an apparently connected incident three pupils brought offensive weapons
to school and have been suspended until the end of term. BB guns are
still available in Falkirk shops for as little as £2.
Daily Record, 20
March 2007
A man was blasted with a
shotgun as he celebrated Hibernian FC's CIS Cup triumph. The victim
was sprayed with pellets while he smoked a cigarette outside a pub in
Clermiston,
Edinburgh. He was taken to hospital and will be transferred to a
hospital in Livingston for plastic surgery. A 20-year-old man has
been charged with the attempted murder (Record, 21 March 2007).
He has been sent to jail for ten years (see
July 2007 Incidents).
Daily Record,
16 March 2007
Nicholas Campbell, 21,
admitted shooting a pregnant woman with an air
rifle. The victim was sitting in her car when she was
struck on the hand by a pellet fired whilst Campbell was taking random
shot from his bedroom window in Muirhouse, Edinburgh, in July 2006.
Campbell was ordered to do 240 hours of community service.
Evening Times,
14 March 2007
Two armed robbers are being
hunted after a bank raid in Byres Road in Glasgow's West End.
Masked men burst into the bank and made off with around £5000. Staff
were threatened with what appeared to be a gun.
Daily Record,
10 March 2007
A schoolboy has been charged
after being caught with an airgun in a class in Methil, Fife.
The 15-year-old had showed the BB gun
to a classmate who then told a teacher. The boy was immediately
banned from school. The headteacher said the school had a
zero-tolerance approach to weapons. The boy has been charged with
breach of the peace and has been reported to the children's panel.
Evening Times,
8 March 2007
Five schoolgirls were
subjected to an attempted carjacking ordeal when a gang of three men
smashed their way into their car which was parked near Maxwell Park
on Glasgow's South Side. One of the gang was carrying a handgun
which was used to smash the window. The gang tried to steal the car
but the driver managed to drive off and called police immediately.
BBC,
8 March 2007
Peter Craig admitted
assaulting a 12-year-old diabetic boy and exposing him to unnecessary
suffering by preventing him from getting access to essential medication.
In the incident, which happened at Craig's former home in Stenhousemuir,
Stirlingshire, in August 2005, Craig delayed taking the boy home for five
hours and shot him with a ball bearing gun.
The boy was hit on the lower body and sustained several bruises.
Craig was ordered to carry out 250 hours community service.
Daily Record,
7 March 2007 *
Scott Pratt, 17, from
Dunfermline shot a young mother with an air
rifle for a "joke". His victim, who had taken her son to
visit Pratt's sister, lost an eye as a result of the attack. He
admitted culpably and recklessly firing the gun in August 2006.
Pratt has been jailed for 30 months (BBC, 17 April 2007). The victim has joined demands for
immediate action to get airguns out of circulation (Daily Record, 8
March 2007).
Strathclyde Police,
March 2007 *
Police are appealing for
witnesses after a 15-year-old boy was injured with an
air weapon in Erskine. He
was walking with three friends when they got into an argument with an
older male, aged between 16 and 18, who pulled out the weapon and fired
several shots. Two of the shots hit the teenager on his back and
head.
WALES
BBC,
30 March 2007
A man and a woman have been
bailed by after police found a "substantial quantity" of illegal firearms
and cannabis plants on a farm in Gwyddelwern, near Corwen in
Denbighshire.
South Wales Echo,
26 March 2007
Daniel Lee Ellis from Porth
confronted three 14-year-old schoolgirls with a BB
air pistol in November 2006 and threatened to shoot one of them
when holding the weapon a foot from her face. He then fired the gun at
the ground in the direction of a group of boys and waved it at another girl.
He was arrested within five minutes. He claimed that it was a joke and
didn't think his actions would be taken seriously. He was jailed for
two and a half years after admitting two offences of attempted robbery and
three offences of possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear
of violence.
Western Mail,
2 March 2007
Luke Steele, 14, pointed a
ball-bearing gun at a shopkeeper in
Pontypool and demanded 20 cigarettes. He had earlier held up
another corner store in the town by pointing a gun at the ceiling.
He was sentenced to three years detention.
INCIDENTS INVOLVING ANIMALS
The Star (Sheffield),
30 March 2007
A cat which survived being
shot with an airgun on the streets of
Ecclesfield, despite being left bloodied, bruised and blind in one
eye, has been awarded the PDSA Pet Survivor of the Year Award.
BBC,
25 March 2007
A cat has suffered severe leg
injuries after being shot by an air rifle
in an attack in Ashfield, Workington. Like other pets we have
reported on recently, the cat may have to have its leg amputated. Its
owner reported seeing youths carrying air weapons in the area days before
the attack.
Runcorn Weekly News,
22 March 2007
An air
rifle and ammunition were seized from a Runcorn address
following the shooting of two cats. Residents had reported seeing the
barrel of a weapon protruding from an upstairs bedroom window of the house.
Two pet cats had been shot and injured in the area. An 18-year-old man
was arrested and cautioned for criminal damage. The weapon and pellets
were destroyed.
Falkirk Herald,
22 March 2007
A family's pet cat has been hit
with an airgun in Stenhousemuir,
Stirlingshire. His owner thought he had been knocked over by a car but
the vet discovered he had been shot. The pellet cannot be removed and
remains lodged between the cat's jaw bone and brain.
Cotswold Journal,
22 March 2007
Pet owners in Stow have
been put on the alert after a second cat in the town was put down after
being shot. She had crawled home in agony, and veterinary staff found
she had been shot in the back with a .22 airgun
pellet that had gone right through her body. The shooting is being
linked to a similar incident in Withington when a cat was shot and
had to have a leg amputated. Three weeks earlier another cat in Stow
had been shot in the back with an airgun and the pellet had badly damaged
her back leg.
Borders Today,
22 March 2007
Police are investigating the
shooting of a Border collie with an airgun in Denholm. The dog
required an operation to remove a .22 airgun
pellet from her leg. Her owner was walking her by the river when he
heard a crack and she yelped and came bounding back to him.
BBC,
22 March 2007
A cormorant was found dead
with gunshot wounds in a street in Filey, North Yorkshire.
Police are investigating the shooting, which was carried out at close
range with a shotgun. An RSPB spokeswoman said any culling of the
fishing birds had to be carried out by a nominated person.
BBC,
21 March 2007 *
A cat found at Podington
Airfield, Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, with fragments of an
airgun pellet in one of its front paws
has had to have its leg amputated.
Coventry Evening Telegraph,
20 March 2007
A mallard duck was found badly
injured on the footpath of the Coventry Canal in Nuneaton. It
had been shot in the head with an air rifle
pellet and died when it was picked it by staff from Warwickshire Wildlife
Sanctuary.
BBC,
15 March 2007
A cat was shot with an
air weapon in Chatham. The
animal returned home injured and was found to have been shot with two
pellets when it was taken to a vet.
BBC,
14 March 2007
The body of a swan believed to
have suffered airgun wounds was
discovered at a wildlife facility in Stillington Forest Park on the
outskirts of Stockton. RSPCA officers have been following recent
reports that youths had been taking pot-shots at the local wildlife with
airguns.
BBC,
12 March 2007
Police in Cheltenham have
warned people about a growing number of cat shootings and have told people
with pellet guns or air weapons that
they can be traced by ammunition. There have been a number of
reports of cats being shot in the Leckhampton and Prestbury
areas.
BBC,
12 March 2007
Two swans have been shot and
killed by three men with air rifles
who enticed the birds to the bank of the River Nene in Wellingborough,
Northamptonshire. They shot the birds and dragged then out of the
water.
Kirkintilloch Today,
6 March 2007
Another cat has had to have
a leg amputated following an airgun
attack in Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire.
