APRIL 2010
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
Wiltshire Times,
30 April 2010
A farmer from Seend,
Wiltshire, killed himself after telling his wife he had feelings for
another woman. He was found dead with his
shotgun next to him in October 2009.
A post mortem examination report found the cause of death consistent
with a gunshot wound. An inquest heard that all the evidence
indicated that
he had taken his own life.
Southwark News,
30 April 2010
A man from Camberwell,
south London, has been remanded in custody for allegedly being in
possession of a shotgun to enable
another person by means thereof to endanger life.
Runcorn & Widnes World,
30 April 2010
An
air weapon was discovered when a cannabis factory was found
at a property in Widnes, Cheshire. A woman was given a
caution for possession of cannabis.
Northampton Chronicle &
Echo, 30 April 2010
Dennis Caygill has lost his
licence to run a pub in Daventry, Northamptonshire, after he
allegedly attacked someone with a stun gun
in an incident in March 2010.
Mid Devon Star,
30 April 2010
A man was arrested after an
incident in which a shotgun was
fired in Bishops Tawton, Devon, during a dispute involving a
father and son.
Islington Tribune,
30 April 2010
A 17-year-old from
Islington, north London, has been jailed for 10 years after being
convicted on two charges of attempted murder, and having a loaded
firearm, a snub nose .38 revolver. He pulled out the gun and fired
at two men who accused him of being involved in theft and tried to
detain him. One of the men suffered a graze to the chest.
Daily Gazette,
30 April 2010
Staff at a post office in
Capel St Mary, Suffolk, were threatened by a man with a handgun.
Nothing was stolen.
Cambridge News,
30 April 2010
A man brandishing a handgun
raided a bowls club in Elsenham, Essex. A pensioner working
behind the bar was forced to hand over around £100 in cash.
BBC, 30 April
2010
Around 20
shotguns and small calibre rifles have
been stolen from the workshop of a registered gun dealer in Barnt
Green, Worcestershire.
BBC, 30 April
2010
Police were called to a
house in Chandler's Ford, Hampshire, after a man was seen with a
gun on the balcony. A man was arrested and a rifle and ammunition
recovered.
BBC, 30 April
2010
A shot was fired during a
robbery at a jewellers in Dudley, West Midlands. No one was
injured but the owners were threatened and left shaken.
Wilts and
Gloucestershire Standard, 29 April 2010
Two gay men were 'arrested'
and blackmailed by a gang of bogus police officers at a beauty spot near
Birdlip, Gloucestershire, in October 2009. One of them was
told by his abductors that they had a gun. An
imitation gun was found in a car boot
by police. Jack Severn, 19, and Tommy Hopton have admitted
conspiracy to blackmail and been jailed for 3 years and 4 year and four
months, respectively.
Slough & Langley
Observer, 29 April 2010 *
A 16-year-old has pleaded
guilty to possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life and one
count of threats to kill after an incident involving a
shotgun in Slough, Berkshire,
in February 2010 (see
Incidents). Dan Danila was sentenced to four years for the
possession of a firearm and two years for making threats to kill, the
sentences to run concurrently (Slough & Langley Observer, 28 May
2010; BBC, 18 June 2010).
Northampton Chronicle & Echo,
29 April 2010
James Rose, a former
soldier with an interest in military memorabilia, was arrested when
police raided his home in Spencer, Northampton, in November 2010.
He had a small collection of firearms and replicas, none of which could
fire, as well as a top slide component part of a pistol.
Possession of the pistol part carried a minimum prison sentence of five
years, unless he could prove exceptional circumstances. Rose
pleaded guilty to possessing ammunition and firearms and was given a two
years suspended prison sentence.
Evening Standard,
29 April 2010
Three men from a gang
which robbed 14 bookmakers and cash vans in south London have been found
guilty of conspiracy to rob and possessing an
imitation firearm with intent. They took thousands of
pounds from premises in Brockley, Deptford, Peckham
and New Cross. Mohamed Mohamed, Abdi Sharif-Aliand and
Ibrahim Ndugwa will be sentenced in May. Said Mohamed was deemed
unfit for trial but was also found to have been involved.
Chester Chronicle,
29 April 2010
A man was spotted
firing a long-barrelled gun in Chester. Armed response
officers spoke to a male who was in possession of what turned out to be
a ball bearing gun. He was
given verbal advice about his actions and the gun was confiscated.
Police said that the man appeared to have been testing the gun and had
not been aiming at anyone.
BBC,
29 April 2010 *
A man was found with
fatal gunshot wounds in a street in West Derby, Liverpool.
The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. His death has been
linked to an incident in which shots were fired near a children's
football match in Vauxhall in March 2010 (Guardian, 29
April 2010). A total of eight men have now been arrested during
the investigation (BBC, 19 May 2010).
Uxbridge Gazette,
28 April 2010
A
shotgun was recovered during
Operation Conold targeting drug dealing in the Three Rivers,
Watford and Dacorum districts of Hertfordshire.
This is Local London,
28 April 2010
Staff at a travel
agents in Beckenham, south London, were threatened with a
handgun. Two men escaped with foreign currency.
Rochdale Observer,
28 April 2010
Mark Sindrey was
jailed for 15 years and four months after admitting a number of drug
offences and possessing an automatic pistol and ammunition which were
found at his home in Kirkholt, Rochdale in August 2008 (see
Incidents).
He has failed to have his jail sentence cut.
Liverpool Echo,
28 April 2010
Two masked gunmen on
a motorbike fired at house in Huyton, Merseyside. A
downstairs window was blasted with what is thought to have been a
shotgun.
Kent Online,
28 April 2010 *
Neil Corrigan and
Ricky Johnson have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob a security van at
a bank in Swanley, Kent, in August 2009. They used an
imitation firearm and escaped with
£25,000. A third man has denied the charge. Corrigan was on
day release from prison at the time of the robbery. He and Johnson
have been jailed for 11 years (Kent Online, 8 June 2010).
Kent Online,
28 April 2010
Armed police swooped
on a flat in Herne Bay, Kent, after reports of a man carrying a
gun. A man was later arrested in Whitstable. It was
not know if a gun had been recovered.
Coventry Telegraph,
28 April 2010
A robber who
attempted to steal cash from a petrol station in Warwick pulled
out what is believed to be a gun, possibly an
imitation firearm. The cashier hit an alarm and the man
fled the scene empty-handed.
BBC,
28 April 2010
A taxi driver was
threatened at gunpoint in Beeston, Nottinghamshire. His
taxi was stolen and was later found dumped.
BBC,
28 April 2010 *
A man was arrested in
connection with a burglary at a gun shop in Christchurch, Dorset.
Shortly afterwards a car was stopped in Bournemouth and a quantity of
guns was found in the boot. A man has admitted burglary and been
jailed for six years (see
August 2010 Incidents).
BBC,
28 April 2010
A taxi driver was
shot in the back in Croxteth, Liverpool, and was in a critical
condition in hospital. The gunman ran away from the scene shouting
"I'm sorry".
This is Local London,
27 April 2010
A man has been
charged with possessing an imitation firearm
with intent to cause fear of violence and possessing ammunition and
drugs offences after police raided a house in Deptford, south
east London. A gun, four shotgun cartridges and rounds of
ammunition were found.
Sunderland Echo,
27 April 2010
A man found a
.410 shotgun wrapped in newspaper and
tape outside home in Penshaw, County Durham, in October 2009 and
passed it to his brother who hid it under his bed and tried to sell it
to a work colleague. Michael Tindle pleaded guilty to possession
of a shotgun and selling or transferring the shotgun to another and
Robert Tindle pleaded guilty to possession of a shotgun and attempting
to sell the shotgun to another. Both men were given a 26-week
suspended prison sentence.
Romford Recorder,
27 April 2010
A man has been
detained after a stand-off with armed police in a cul-de-sac in
Rainham, east London. There had been reports that a man had
become "distressed" and had a loaded shotgun.
A shotgun and a small amount of ammunition were recovered from the
house. The man has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act (Romford
Recorder, 30 April 2010).
The News,
27 April 2010
A woman needed
surgery to remove an air rifle
pellet from her arm after being shot as she queued for a burger at
Portsdown Hill, Portsmouth.
Lancashire Telegraph,
27 April 2010
A teenager has been
shot in the buttocks with an airgun
in Euxton, Lancashire. Two 16-year-olds were present in a
house at the time of the incident and the police have described it as
"high jinks which got out of hand". One of the boys had
apparently paid his friend £20 to shoot him during a drunken prank (Chorley
Guardian, 27 April 2010).
Lancashire Evening Post,
27 April 2010 *
A man brandishing a
small handgun walked into a travel agents in Longton, Lancashire,
and threatened the staff. He fled with foreign currency. A
man and a woman have been charged with robbery and having an
imitation firearm with intent to commit
an indictable offence (BBC, 6 May 2010).
Burton Mail,
27 April 2010
A pupil at a primary
school in Newhall, Derbyshire, has been shot with what is
believed to have been a BB gun.
The incident occurred during playtime. The shots may have been
fired by children at a traveller encampment in a neighbouring field.
BBC,
27 April 2010 *
A man was found dead
at his home in Whitley, Coventry, is believed to have been shot.
A gun was recovered at the scene and a man has been charged with
manslaughter and possessing a firearm. The victim's friend has
pleaded guilty to manslaughter. The weapon was a prohibited
semi-automatic pistol which belonged to the dead man (see
July 2010 Incidents).
BBC,
27 April 2010
A man was threatened
with what appeared to be a shotgun
when an armed gang broke into his home in Middleton-by-Youlgrave,
Derbyshire. His belongings were ransacked and his safe emptied.
Oxford Mail,
26 April 2010
The front door of a
house in Blackbird Leys, Oxford, was damaged in a shooting.
The police could not confirm what type of gun was used.
North-West Evening Mail,
26 April 2010
Damage inflicted on
homes and gardens in a street in Barrow, Cumbria, could have been
caused by air rifle pellets.
Windows, garden ornaments and greenhouses have been damaged.
Northampton Chronicle & Echo,
26 April 2010 *
Marie Dring
threatened a hot air balloon passenger with a loaded
shotgun, which she pointed at his
chest, and told him to "get off my land". The balloon had landed
on her land in Potterspury, Northamptonshire, in September 2009
(see January 2010 Incidents).
She pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear.
The court heard how
she had poked him twice with the gun, loading it with two cartridges in
between. She has been sentenced to eighteen months in jail (Northampton
Chronicle & Echo, 19 May 2010). The sentence has been
reduced to nine months (BBC, 3 August 2010).
BBC,
26 April 2010
A CCTV image has been
released of a man police want to speak to in connection with a robbery
at a betting shop in Royton, Greater Manchester, in March 2010.
He walked into the shop holding a gun and demanded money. He
emptied the tills and ran off with an accomplice.
Evening Telegraph (Northamptonshire),
24 April 2010
A couple were held at
gunpoint in their home in Corby, Northamptonshire, by two
attackers who robbed them of cash and tobacco.
Liverpool Echo,
24 April 2010
A 19-year-old from
Bootle, Merseyside, has been accused of possessing a
semi-automatic shotgun, a .357 rifle
and 75 rounds of .357 ammunition after a police discovered guns and
drugs in a house. He was also charged with drug offences.
West Yorkshire Police,
23 April 2010
An attempt was made
to rob a store in Drighlington, West Yorkshire, by a man carrying
a black handgun. He threatened a member of staff but left the
premises without taking any cash.
This is Croydon Today,
23 April 2010
Mark Thompson was
found with a revolver and ammunition in a police raid on his home in
South Norwood, south London, in November 2009. He pleaded
guilty to possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition without a
certificate and possession of cannabis and has been sentenced to five
years and three months in prison.
Harrow Observer,
23 April 2010
After Dennis Black
shot a woman in Wembley, north west London, in June 2000, hitting
her in the head and hand, he went on the run for nine years. He
has now been convicted of grievous bodily harm with intent and has been
sentenced to 12 years in jail.
Birmingham Mail,
23 April 2010
A gang of teenagers
robbed people of thousands of pounds after luring them to Birmingham
through a website advertising cheap goods. The youths beat up
their victims using knuckledusters, sticks and CS spray and an
imitation firearm was brandished on
several occasions. The leader Haider Zaman, 19, admitted
conspiracy to rob and possessing an imitation firearm and was sent to a
Young Offenders' Institution for five years. He was also ordered
to pay compensation. Other members of the gang were given two or
three year custodial sentences.
BBC,
23 April 2010
Armed police who
called at a property in Callington, Cornwall, in response to
reports of disorder and anti-social behaviour arrested two men. A
threat had apparently made to use firearms. A number of
airguns were found.
BBC,
23 April 2010
Five members of a
family have been found guilty over the death of a man whose decapitated
body was found in a lake in Arlesey, Bedfordshire (see
February 2010 Incidents).
The victim had been kept prisoner at a house in Luton as a slave
and for his
benefit money. He was hit with bats, shot with an
airgun and stabbed. James Watt,
Natasha Oldfield and Nichola Roberts were all convicted of murder and
Robert Watt, Jennifer Smith-Dennis were found guilty of familial
homicide. Richard Watt had admitted familial homicide. All
were found guilty of perverting the course of justice. James Watt
had 14 previous convictions for 22 different offences, including affray
and an airgun shooting. James
Watt will serve a minimum of 36 years in jail, Oldfield a minimum of 18
and Roberts a minimum of 15 years. Richard Watt was jailed for
eight years and Smith-Dennis for 10 years (Independent, 26 April
2010).
BBC,
23 April 2010
Two teenagers were
arrested on suspicion of carrying high powered
air rifles in a public place. A police officer spotted
them in a street in Canterbury, Kent. The air rifles were
seized.
BBC,
23 April 2010
A teenager has been
found dead at a house in Greenwich, south east London, after
police officers were called following reports of gunshots being fired.
He had been shot in the face. Five people were arrested and
subsequently bailed. The police have said it was possible that the
victim had been shot accidentally as someone else handled a gun (BBC,
24 April 2010) but they are treating it as a murder inquiry (BBC,
25 April 2010).
This is Nottingham,
22 April 2010
Air rifles were stolen from outside an
address in Calverton, Nottingham. The victim chased one
offender who ran off with two other suspects.
This is North Devon,
22 April 2010
A three-year-old
boy was hit in the face with a BB gun
in Torrington, Devon. The pellet missed his eye by two
centimetres. The boy was walking in a park with his teenage sister
when three boys started firing at them. One 13-year-old and an
11-year-old were given Youth Restorative Justice Disposals which mean
they will have to apologise to their victim and explain their actions.
Another 13-year-old has been given a final warning. The gun had
been bought by a family member.
Kent News,
22 April 2010
Peter Mahoney
threatened six people with an air pistol
in Stone, Kent, before stealing their car in November 2008.
He was linked to the crime by DNA evidence left behind by his dog.
He pleaded guilty to racially-aggravated wounding, possession of a
firearm, and robbery and possession of an imitation firearm and was
jailed for four years.
Evening Telegraph (Peterborough),
22 April 2010
A quantity of drugs
and several firearms, including a shotgun,
have been seized during police raids in Northumberland and
Newcastle.
Uxbridge Gazette,
21 April 2010
Two men have each
been charged with one count of robbery and one count of possession of a
firearm after a travel agents was robbed in Uxbridge, west
London. One man produced a handgun during the robbery.
Streatham Guardian,
21 April 2010
Yayhe Ismail shot a
man in the face with a BB gun
following a fight as they left a nightclub in Crystal Palace,
south London, in August 2009 (see
September 2009 Incidents). His
victim was left with a metal pellet embedded in his mouth. He has
been jailed for eight years after pleading guilty to GBH with intent to
wound and possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable
offence.
Southport Visiter,
21 April 2010
A man was arrested on
suspicion of possession of a firearm after an armed police siege in
Southport, Merseyside. A member of the public had reported
seeing a man with a gun. Two men have now been charged with
wasting police time. Police confirmed that no firearm was traced (Southport
Visiter, 23 April 2010).
The Herald (Plymouth),
21 April 2010
A 4-year-old boy
required surgery after he was shot with an
airgun as he and his mother were walking in a park in
Stoke, Plymouth. His mother heard a crack the moment before he
fell to the ground screaming. An X-ray showed a pellet lodged in
his leg. It has since been reported that the boy was not actually
shot in the park but that his injury occurred when a loaded air rifle
went off when it was dropped on the ground by a teenager, who was
shooting at targets, in a courtyard where the 4-year-old was playing
with a toy gun. A decision is still being made in relation to
police action regarding wasting police time (The Herald (Plymouth),
26 April 2010).
Grimsby Telegraph,
21 April 2010
William Munro, 19,
pointed an air pistol at another
motorist during a chase along a dual carriageway outside Grimsby,
Lincolnshire, in December 2009 after the other man had forced him to
brake suddenly. The weapon was unloaded and he claimed his only
intention was to "scare" the other driver. He admitted possessing
an air pistol with intent to cause fear of violence and was given an
eight-month suspended prison sentence, a one-year supervision order, 100
hours' unpaid work and must pay prosecution costs.
The Gazette,
21 April 2010
A student has been
accused of robbing at taxi driver at gunpoint in South Shore,
Lancashire. He is also accused of possessing an
imitation firearm in the form of a silver handgun.
Enfield Independent,
21 April 2010
Six people have been
charged with various offences, including supplying drugs, conspiracy to
sell a firearm and ammunition, and possession of a handgun following
raids at addresses in Enfield, Haringey and Redbridge
in north and north east London and in Leeds. The raids were
a culmination of Operation Peyzac aimed at tackling gangs, gun
possession and violent crime. At one address in Haringey a
suspected gun conversion factory was discovered (Yorkshire Evening
Post, 22 April 2010). A total of sixteen men, including a
16-year-old have now been charged (Enfield Independent, 22 April
2010). Nine men were arrested in further raids across Haringey,
Enfield and Waltham Forest (Haringey Independent,
29 April 2010).
Daily Mail,
21 April 2010
A man was confronted
by armed police after the collapsible walking stick he was carrying was
mistaken for a shotgun by a member of the public in Kesgrave,
Suffolk. He had been carrying the stick horizontally at the time.
BBC,
21 April 2010
The driver of a van
involved in a road rage incident in Highfields, Leicester, was
possibly armed with a gun. The police are investigating.
Liverpool Echo,
20 April 2010
A revolver, a machete
and a bank cash machine have been found by police scouring woodland in
Stockbridge Village, Merseyside, which is known as a hiding place
for guns. The search, which followed a shooting in Croxteth (see
below), also uncovered shotgun cartridges and 9mm bullets. The
search resulted from information provided by members of the local
community.
Get Surrey,
20 April 2010
A woman was robbed at
gunpoint at a flat in Horley, Surrey. One of two suspects,
both believed to be teenagers, was armed with a long-barrelled gun.
A small amount of cash and mobile phones were stolen.
Dudley News,
20 April 2010
A man described as
"fanatical" about firearms made a gun to kill a friend's gravely ill cat
who had decided not to use the PDSA. Police officers found the
improvised handgun, which had been made by cutting down an
air rifle, at the home of Ian Hodson in
Netherton, West Midlands, after receiving information that he had
acquired a document on the making of an air machine gun. He
admitted possessing the prohibited gun and also possessing a quantity of
ammunition without a firearms certificate and was jailed for four years.
Croydon Guardian,
20 April 2010
An
air rifle was among items stolen
during garage burglaries in New Addington, south London, March
2010. A number of youths, all under 18, have been arrested at
three addresses in the area.
Bolton News,
20 April 2010
A man burst into a
bookmakers in Little Lever, Greater Manchester, and pointed a gun
at staff before demanding that they hand over money. He escaped
with about £1000 in cash.
BBC,
20 April 2010
An
imitation firearm was stolen during a burglary at wetland
centre in Washington, County Durham, in which two geese were also
stolen. One of the birds was later found dead.
Liverpool Echo,
19 April 2010
Shots were fired at a
house in Croxteth, Liverpool, as people slept inside. The
same home had also been targeted in a shooting in March 2010.
Liverpool Echo,
19 April 2010
A bouncer was shot
twice in the leg with a handgun as he stood outside a wine bar in
Croxteth, Liverpool. A man inside the bar was hit in the
chest. The injuries of neither victim are thought to be
life-threatening.
BBC,
19 April 2010
An actor with the
Royal Shakespeare Company was "seriously" injured by a
prop firearm during technical
rehearsals at its theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire.
Advertiser,
19 April 2010
A man has been
charged with harassment, making a hoax bomb threat, having an
imitation firearm with intent and
criminal damage to property after an eight-hour standoff with police in
Winslow, Buckinghamshire.
Racing Post,
18 April 2010
A jockey has been
arrested on suspicion of assault and possession of a firearm with intent
to cause fear. The arrest followed an altercation with his
girlfriend in Newmarket, Suffolk. The firearm is understood
to have been a broken air rifle.
He was released with no charge and commented that "this is a private
matter which is now resolved".
Western Morning News,
17 April 2010
David Clarke,
described as a "weapons enthusiast", was banned for life from owning a
firearm because of a previous sentence but was found in illegal
possession of a gun. When police went to his home in Exeter in
January 2010 they found a display of weapons including a
.22 calibre air rifle. Clarke
claimed first that he was unaware the gun was classified as a firearm
for the purposes of the ban and later that he had understood he had been
only banned for three years. The judge imposed no penalty for the
firearms charge but sentenced him to a year's supervision.
Telegraph & Argus,
17 April 2010
Police were called to
a house in Yeadon, West Yorkshire, after a man was seen carrying
what was believed to be a shotgun. A man was arrested after a siege
which lasted for nearly ten hours. Police were later seen taking
out a shotgun and an air rifle (Yorkshire
Evening Post, 19 April 2010).
The News,
17 April 2010
A clay pigeon
shooting enthusiast killed himself with one of his own shotguns at his
home in Fareham, Hampshire, in August 2009. The death
followed an argument with his wife. The cause of death was a
single shotgun wound to the head.
The coroner concluded that he intended to take his own life.
Huddersfield Daily Examiner,
17 April 2010
A man was shot in the
leg in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. Police were alerted
when he got to hospital.
Hartlepool Mail,
17 April 2010
During searches in
Gateshead and Durham following an attack by several armed men
at a pub in Haswell, County Durham, which left four men with injuries,
the police recovered two machetes and a handgun. A number of men
have been arrested on suspicion of various offences including attempted
murder.
BBC,
17 April 2010
Acting on information
from the local community, the police found a .38 revolver and a 9mm
semi-automatic handgun in Levenshulme, Greater Manchester.
No arrests have yet been made.
This is Nottingham,
16 April 2010 *
A man was arrested
after a raid at a house in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, and charged
with drug and weapons offences including possession of a shortened
shotgun, possession of a shotgun with
intent to cause fear or violence and possession of a firearm with intent
to commit robbery. A teenager who was arrested was released on
bail. A man has been jailed after admitting possession of the gun
(see August 2010 Incidents).
This is Croydon Today,
16 April 2010
Anthony Palmer and
Jimmy Giles used an imitation firearm
in a raid on a petrol station in Addiscombe, south London, in
August 2009. Palmer who had previous convictions was sentenced to
six years and eight months in jail, Giles received a four year and eight
months sentence.
Southern Daily Echo,
16 April 2010
A man was arrested
after members of the public reported seeing a man wandering around
Romsey, Hampshire, with what they thought was a rifle. He had
pointed the weapon at someone but then left the scene. A
BB gun was recovered. He was
arrested on suspicion of being in possession of an imitation firearm with
intent to put someone in fear of violence.
Southend Standard,
16 April 2010
Two cars have been
fired at with what is thought to have been an air
rifle in Southend, Essex. During one incident in
which four teenagers were seen a back passenger window was smashed.
Peterlee Mail,
16 April 2010
Adam Bone, 18, was told
that he deserved to go to prison after he admitted possessing an imitation
firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. He fired a
ball bearing gun at another motorist
after he was involved in a minor accident in Peterlee, County
Durham, in May 2009. The judge sentenced Bone to a 12 month
supervision order with a requirement that he attends a clinic for
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder treatment. The judge
believed it was in the interests of justice and the better protection of
the public in the longer term for his condition to be treated.
Lancashire Evening Post,
16 April 2010
A man has been charged
in connection with possession of an imitation gun
and false imprisonment after an incident in which a woman was allegedly
threatened with a gun at her flat in Leyland, Lancashire.
Three other people, two women and a man were also arrested and bailed.
Express & Star,
16 April 2010
Paul Swain held an
imitation gun to the head of his wife
when their marriage collapsed. He threatened that "This is for
you" as she was driving through Walsall, West Midlands. His
wife did not immediately report the incident to the police but did so
when Swain attacked her at the house they shared after a drinking spree.
Swain admitted possession of an imitation firearm and assault and was
jailed for 16 months.
Worcester News,
15 April 2010
Following concerns from
a member of the public when two youths were seen on the roof of a building
in Worcester, the two were arrested on suspicion of public order
offences and offences related to possessing an
airgun.
This is Somerset,
15 April 2010
Sean Teddy has pleaded
guilty to having an imitation firearm in a public place. He had a
BB gun in Lawrence Weston,
Bristol. Sentencing was adjourned.
Swindon Advertiser,
15 April 2010
A man who started a
fight in a nightclub in Swindon, Wiltshire, in January 2010 was in
possession of a stun gun. He
fled the scene but the weapon was later found on the floor.
The Star,
15 April 2010
A van specially adapted
for the needs of a man paralysed for life in an illegal airgun shooting in
2005 has been shot at. A shotgun
cartridge was fired at the windscreen which was shattered. The
vehicle was parked outside his family home in Rossington, South
Yorkshire, at the time of the attack.
St Helens Star,
15 April 2010
A farmer was threatened
at gunpoint during consecutive morning raids on his home in Garswood,
Merseyside. He was forced to hand over cash but did not report the
first raid. The same man is believed to have returned the next day
with an accomplice when they fled with more money.
Liverpool Echo,
15 April 2010
A man has appeared in
court charged with attempted murder of two men in Kensington,
Liverpool, in 2008 (see
Incidents). One of the men was shot with a revolver in a
flat in June, the other was shot by a man in camouflage in his living room
in July. The defendant is charged with two offences of attempted
murder, two of wounding with intent and two of possession of a firearm
with intent to endanger. James Gilmore has been convicted and will
serve a minimum of 15 years before being considered for release (Liverpool
Echo, 27 April 2010).
Evening Telegraph (Peterborough),
15 April 2010
A 17-year-old boy has
been charged after he allegedly held four men at gunpoint and stole their
mobile phones in Rochdale, Greater Manchester.
Daily Mail,
15 April 2010 *
A 16-year-old girl is
fighting for her life after being shot in the neck as she queued in a
takeaway in Hackney, east London. She was hit when a male
teenager fired two shots at another youth and missed. She died less
than 48 hours after the shooting. Police have launched a murder
inquiry and are looking for two teenagers who fled on mountain bikes (Evening
Standard, 16 April 2010). Two men will face trial charged with
murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, and a
youth is accused of two counts of possessing a prohibited firearm and
possession of a firearm with intent to kill and assisting an offender (Hackney
Gazette, 28 July 2010).
Bexley Times,
15 April 2010
A court has heard how a
gang of youths, aged between 15 and 18, broke into a birthday party in
Bellingham, south London, and slit a man's throat. It is claimed
that one of the gang was carrying what appeared to be a gun. Nine
alleged gang members are standing trial for wounding with intent and
violent disorder.
Yorkshire Evening Post,
14 April 2010
Staff at a scrapyard in
Castleford, West Yorkshire, were confronted with raiders
brandishing a gun, believed to be a handgun, and a knife. The three
men forced the staff to open a safe and escaped with £12,000.
This is Lancashire,
14 April 2010 *
A number of men have
been convicted for their part in cash-in-transit robberies, including one
in Blackburn, Lancashire, in December 2008 (see
Incidents) in which
a guard was shot. David Evans and Dean Farrell were found guilty of
conspiracy to commit robbery and possessing the firearm and Farrell was
also found guilty of wounding with intent. Colin McCash and Simon
Ginn both pleaded guilty of conspiracy to robbery ahead of the trial.
James Mulholland was found guilty of a raid in Thornton Cleveleys.
Billy Anker pleaded guilty to possession of ammunition. Farrell was
given an indeterminate sentence with a minimum of 11 years and three
months, Evans was jailed for 10 years, Ginn was sentenced to 12 years,
McCash to 10 years and Mulholland to seven-and-a-half years (The
Citizen (Blackburn), 14 May 2010).
Sunday Mercury,
14 April 2010
A gun was allegedly
brandished during a disturbance in Aston, Birmingham. Four
suspects were identified and traced to an address in Nechells where three
men and a woman were arrested and a handgun recovered.
Northampton Chronicle & Echo,
14 April 2010 *
An assistant is thought
to have been threatened with a handgun during a robbery at a shop in
Northampton. The cashier was assaulted. A man has admitted
robbery and possession of an imitation firearm
(see July 2010 Incidents).
News Shopper,
14 April 2010
An 18-year-old was
injured in a second shooting in Brockley, south London, in four
days. He was taken to hospital but was later discharged and was then
arrested on suspicion of possessing a weapon.
Metropolitan Police Service,
14 April 2010
A
shotgun was found hidden within a bag
behind bushes in Lambeth, south London during a partnership
programme to improve a neighbourhood. It is being subjected to
further investigation.
Liverpool Echo,
14 April 2010
A street in
Wavertree, Liverpool, was cordoned off after reports of gunfire.
No evidence of damage to property or shots fired was found. Two men
have been arrested, one on suspicion of shooting a gun and the other, aged
18, of possession of a section 1 firearm (Liverpool Echo, 16 April
2010).
Hackney Gazette,
14 April 2010
A 16-year-old boy who
was persuaded to mind a sawn-off shotgun
by a gang has admitted the offence. He was arrested after the gun
was found in his bedroom in Hackney Downs, east London.
Express & Star,
14 April 2010
A man from Shirley,
West Midlands, was given a three-year community order under supervision
after he admitted possession of a bladed article and loaded
air weapon. He was found with the
weapons when hiding outside the home of his wife after their marriage had
broken down. His wife was regarded as being at "high risk" and a
restraining order had been issued.
Echo,
14 April 2010
Ashley Mansaram tried
to fire a converted blank-firing revolver into a crowd of people outside a
nightclub in Southend, Essex, in September 2009. He had been
thrown out of the club after a fight. He pointed the gun and pulled
the trigger four times but the gun did not go off. He pleaded guilty
to counts of possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear or
violence, possession of a firearm without a certificate, possession of
ammunition without a certificate and possession of a prohibited weapon.
He was jailed for more than five years.
BBC,
14 April 2010
A man has been arrested
on suspicion of possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear in
connection with an alleged offence in Lawford, Essex. A man
was reported walking around the village with a
shotgun. It was later reported that the man had been shooting
pigeons with an air rifle and that
there was no evidence that he was doing anything unlawful (Clacton
Gazette, 15 April 2010).
Wigan Evening Post,
13 April 2010
A man threatened to
kill a female worker in a shop in Billinge, Lancashire, pointing as
if he had something in his pocket, although he didn't actually say he had
a gun. He demanded money and ran off with about £500.
Haringey Independent,
13 April 2010
Daniel Stanigar hid a
converted BBM 92 handgun and three bullets inside a computer at his family
home in Muswell Hill, north London (see
January 2010 Incidents). He had
been leant on by others to store the gun. He has been jailed for
five years after admitting the offences.
Bolton News,
13 April 2010 *
A man apparently died
after shooting himself outside his house in Horwich, Greater
Manchester, with a legally registered shotgun
in February 2010. The man was described as a gun
enthusiast. An inquest heard that he shot himself in the head
because he feared he would be sacked over an "upsetting joke" he made to a
colleague. The coroner concluded he took his own life (Bolton
News, 18 May 2010).
BBC,
13 April 2010
Three teenagers have
found a sawn-off shotgun in an
alleyway in Allenton, Derby. The weapon has been sent for
forensic and ballistic tests.
Liverpool Echo,
12 April 2010
A gunman robbed two
bookmakers in the same road in Maghull, Merseyside, within 24
hours. In the first raid he had a handgun wrapped in a plastic bag.
In the second staff believed he was carrying a small handgun. Cash
was stolen in both incidents.
Lincolnshire Echo,
12 April 2010
Paul Charrington held
an imitation firearm to the head of an
unarmed police officer called out to deal with a domestic incident in
Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, in January 2010. The officer
believed he was about to be murdered. Charrington admitted
possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence
and has been jailed for five years.
Harrow Times,
12 April 2010
Three people were shot
at a warehouse rave in Colindale, north west London. A DJ was
hit in the chest, a woman was hit in the back and arm and a man was hit in
the ankle. None of the injuries were life threatening. Three
men were arrested following a crash shortly after the shooting and have
since been released on bail.
Guardian,
12 April 2010
Two men forced their
way into the home of a racehorse trainer in Roddymoor, County
Durham. One of the men, who was armed with a knife, dragged his wife
out of bed and the other held a handgun to his head. He was forced
to open a safe and the men took £100,000 in cash. Armed police were
on the scene within minutes after the alarm was raised even though the
raiders had threatened to shoot the couple if the police were contacted
within three hours.
Coventry Telegraph,
12 April 2010 *
A shop assistant was
pistol-whipped by two men who snatched cigarettes and alcohol from a store
in Walsgrave, Coventry. One men was armed with a black
handgun. A man has admitted robbery and possessing a firearm with
intent to cause fear of violence and received a jail sentence (see
July 2010 Incidents).
BBC,
12 April 2010
Two men armed with a
silver handgun and a baseball bat entered a store in Longford,
Coventry, and demanded the contents of the till. The owner pressed
the panic button and was struck over the head with the weapons. The
men fled empty handed.
Waltham Forest Guardian,
11 April 2010 *
A man suffering gunshot
wounds was pronounced dead at the scene in Leyton, north east
London. Police are keeping an "open mind" as to the motive.
A post mortem examination has confirmed that the victim died from a single
gunshot wound to the chest (Waltham Forest Guardian,
13 April 2010). CCTV footage of a man has been released by
detectives (This is Local London, 18 May 2010).
BBC,
11 April 2010
A man brandishing a
black pistol-type gun with a silencer threatened a worker at a convenience
store in Canvey, Essex, and stole a three figure sum of cash from
the till.
BBC,
11 April 2010
Three men, two of them
carrying handguns, stole an undisclosed sum of money from a bookmakers in
Wortley, Leeds.
Weston, Worle & Somerset Mercury,
10 April 2010
A boy was shot with a
BB gun while playing in Portishead,
Somerset. He sustained bruising to his left eye. A youngster
has been reprimanded over the incident which happened last month.
Evening News,
10 April 2010
Andrew Bowles and James
Atkins dressed up in camouflage clothing and armed themselves with
hunting knives and imitation guns
and repeatedly broke into a school in Costessey, Norfolk, and
stole laptops and other items. They were apparently acting out
bizarre military games. Atkins was caught during a police
surveillance operation. Both men admitted aggravated burglary and
asked for other burglary offences to be taken into consideration.
Both received 21 month custodial sentences.
The Argus,
10 April 2010
Two businessmen have been
arrested in connection with an armed threat. A man, believed to be
a former business associate, was followed from his home in Hove,
Sussex, and threatened by two men in a vehicle with a
shotgun.
Tottenham, Wood Green & Edmonton Journal,
9 April 2010
A Derringer handgun and more
than 300 rounds of ammunition were seized by police following a raid on
a home in South Tottenham, north London. A 19-year-old
woman was arrested.
Kent News,
9 April 2010 *
A man brandishing a black
handgun robbed a bank in Northfleet, Kent. Cash was found
dumped nearby. A handgun, believed to be an
air weapon, was also recovered. A
man is due to appear in court charged with eight armed robberies at
bookmakers and banks over the past six months. A second man was
charged with armed robberies and is alleged to have taken part in two
raids, including the one in Northfleet (Peterborough Evening
Telegraph, 12 April 2010). Two men have pleaded guilty (see
June 2010 Incidents).
Leighton Buzzard Observer & Citizen,
9 April 2010 *
Police found cannabis plants
and numerous firearms, including a shotgun,
during a raid on a property in Dagnall, Bedfordshire. A man
has been arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm. Three
men will answer drugs and firearms charges (Leighton Buzzard Observer & Citizen,
5 September 2010).
Harrow Observer,
9 April 2010
An armed robber who
threatened a motorist with a gun in a secluded car park in Sudbury
Hill, north west London, is being sought. He lured his victim
using an advert posted on Gumtree asking for buyers of his car but after
a short test drive the gunman stole the victim's car.
BBC,
9 April 2010
A man was shot in the arm at
Brockley Cross, south London. Two people have been arrested
in connection with the shooting.
Yorkshire Evening Post,
8 April 2010
A man has been shot in the
stomach with a shotgun on the
doorstep of his home in Whinmoor, Leeds. His condition was
described as "serious but stable". He may have been the victim of
mistaken identity. A 17-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of
attempted murder.
Oldham Advertiser,
8 April 2010
Four men threatened post
officer workers with a handgun in Dobcross, Oldham in Greater
Manchester. They fled into a waiting car after stealing money.
Manchester Evening News,
8 April 2010
A man was beaten up and shot
in the leg with a handgun in a pub in Moss Side, Manchester, in
November 2009 in retaliation for a rape accusation. Two men deny
causing grievous bodily harm to the victim who was cleared of the rape.
Both men confessed to a lesser charge of unlawful wounding.
Richard Lee was given a nine month sentence and Kamar Anderson was
jailed for 11 months. The gunman is still being hunted by the
police (Manchester Evening News, 14 April 2010).
Hounslow Chronicle,
8 April 2010 *
A man carrying a gun-shaped
item terrified cashiers at a bank in Teddington, south west
London. He demanded cash and escaped with around £2,200. In
a second identical robbery at the same branch was carried out a few
weeks later, apparently by the same man (Richmond & Twickenham Times,
27 May 2010).
Cambs Times,
8 April 2010
Armed police raided the home
of an elderly couple in Wimblington, Cambridgeshire, after carers
wrongly claimed they owned a double barrelled shotgun. The weapon
was an air rifle which was removed.
BBC,
8 April 2010
A gunman threatened staff at
a bookmakers in Burnage, Greater Manchester. He was armed
with a revolver and stole cash.
This is Total Essex,
7 April 2010
Barry Wayne pointed a gun at
his wife and then fired into the wall of their home in Ongar,
Essex, in December 2009. He later pointed the gun at himself.
The police arrived after his wife managed to text her sister. It
was claimed that drink was behind the fight. Wayne pleaded guilty
to possession of a prohibited weapon and ammunition without a
certificate and, despite a plea from his wife, the judge jailed him for
five years.
Telegraph & Argus,
7 April 2010
Three men armed with a
sawn-off shotgun escaped with the
weekend takings from a pub in Holme Wood, Bradford. They
had burst into the pub and demanded money.
Nottingham Evening Post,
7 April 2010
Mark Henry pulled out an
imitation gun in a post office in
Nottingham in January 2010 (see
Incidents). He assured one member
of staff "not to worry" and "I'm not going to rob you". A police
officer who attended said that from a distance he would not have known
if the firearm was real. The court was told the incident was "a
cry for help". He pleaded guilty to possession of an imitation
firearm in a public place and was jailed for nine months.
Nottingham Evening Post,
7 April 2010
A camper has been shot in
Stanford-on-Soar, Nottinghamshire. He apparently set up camp
in a known hunting area. He was taken to hospital in a critical
but stable condition after suffering shoulder injuries.
Leicester Mercury,
7 April 2010
A man had to be flown to
hospital after being shot with an airgun
in Barlestone, Leicestershire. He suffered an injured back
muscle. The police said the man had been injured accidentally.
Herald (East Herts),
7 April 2010
A man threatened staff at a
shop in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, and looted the safe. He
appeared to be armed with a handgun.
Evening Chronicle,
7 April 2010
Terence Davidson has pleaded
guilty to having a sawn-off double barrelled
shotgun and a cannabis farm at his house in Walker,
Tyneside. He went on the run after the police had raided his home
but was tracked down in Byker in January 2010 (see
Incidents).
He also admitted handling stolen goods (the gun), possessing a firearm
when prohibited because of his previous custodial sentence and other
drugs charges. He has been warned he will be locked up for at
least five years.
Essex County Standard,
7 April 2010
Matthew Clark threatened to
blow a cashier's head off at a bank in Dovercourt, Essex, if she
did not hand over money. He claimed "We've got guns". He
stole cash most of which the police found at his home. He had also
threatened staff at two shops but they refused to hand over cash.
Clark, who had served a jail sentence for raiding a building society in
Bognor Regis, West Sussex, with a toy
gun, admitted robbery and was jailed for three-and-a-half
years.
BBC,
7 April 2010
Three masked men carried out
an armed robbery at a pub in Kirkdale, Merseyside. One of
them was thought to be carrying a gun. The owner sustained a head
injury during the raid.
Uttoxeter
Advertiser,
6 April 2010
A
paintball gun was fired at the window of a service station in
Sudbury, Staffordshire. A car was seen with an object
pointing out of its window before the attack occurred. There had
been two earlier incidents in which a paintball gun had been fired in
Tutbury. Police confirmed that the attacks are classed as
firearms incidents.
St Albans & Harpenden Review,
6 April 2010
A man holding a gun walked
into a post office in St Albans, Hertfordshire, and forced the
manager and staff into a stock room. He demanded cash from the
safe and made off with a large amount of money.
Nottingham
Evening Post,
6 April 2010
Ashley Smith pointed an
imitation gun at a man's head after
they argued in the street in Gedling, Nottingham, in April 2009.
He was found guilty of possession of an imitation firearm with intent to
cause fear of violence. He pleaded guilty to possession of
cannabis at the time of his arrest. He was sentenced to 18 months
imprisonment.
Express & Star,
6 April 2010
Three men armed with a gun,
a machete and a bat stole £400 from a shop in Park Village,
Wolverhampton. They warned two workers they would be killed if
they did not hand over cash.
Bristol Evening Post,
6 April 2010
A man was shot in the face
at close range at his own front door in St Paul's, Bristol.
A shotgun was fired through a glass
pane. The victim was taken to hospital but his injuries are not
thought to be life-threatening.
BBC,
6 April 2010
A man from Luton,
Bedfordshire, discovered that friends to whom he gave a home when they
were released from prison were keeping a firearm and ammunition but
failed to ask them to remove them or leave. He has admitted
possession of a firearm and four charges relating to ammunition and
jailed for three years. The police had become involved when a car
registered to him was discovered with bullet holes.
BBC,
6 April 2010
A man and a woman have been
charged following raids on a house in Wallsend, Tyneside, where
police recovered heroin, cash, three firearms and ammunition. The
man has been charged with possession of heroin and possession of a
stun gun.
Huddersfield Daily Examiner,
5 April 2010 *
A man was arrested after it
was reported that he was carrying a gun on a housing estate in
Scissett, West Yorkshire. Several
replica weapons were recovered. A man has pleaded
guilty to possessing an imitation firearm in a public place (see
August 2010 Incidents).
The Gazette,
4 April 2010
Police are trying to trace a
man recently evicted from a flat in Blackpool, Lancashire, who
contacted them claiming to have a firearm and threatening to kill
himself. Police raided the flat but did not find him.
Birmingham Mail,
4 April 2010
Four men brandishing pistols
and a shotgun raided a shop in Winson Green, Birmingham.
The men beat a cashier around the ribs and arms with an iron bar before
fleeing with just £200.
Telegraph & Argus,
3 April 2010
A robber put a gun to the
head of a man whilst he was home alone in Bradford. Three
men had forced their way in and demanded his phone, wallet and
jewellery.
Bristol Evening Post,
3 April 2010
A hunting rifle was seized
during a drugs raid in Bristol. Five people were arrested.
Dewsbury Reporter,
2 April 2010
A
sawn-off double barrel shotgun and ammunition were found in
the loft of a home in Dewsbury Moor, West Yorkshire, during a
police raid. A man and a woman were arrested for firearms
offences.
Daily Echo,
2 April 2010
Edgaras Plosenko, Aleksey
Iskritskiy and Robertas Beniulis have all received jail sentences for
aggravated burglary and possession of an
imitation firearm with intent, Plosenko for 10 years and the
other men for 8 years. Two women police officers took on the men
who were brandishing pistols at a home in Northbourne,
Bournemouth, in December 2009. The gang had bound a man and
pointed a gun at him. The judge recommended a public commendation
for the officers.
Streatham Guardian,
1 April 2010
Mark Brown, one of two men
found guilty of killing a man who suffered multiple stab wounds in
Shooters Hill, south east London, in March 2009 was also found
guilty of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
Both men were also convicted of robbery. The defendants had gone
to the victim's flat to negotiate a drug deal. Both were jailed
for a minimum of 30 years (News Shopper, 30 April 2010).
Southern Daily Echo,
1 April 2010
A man threatened to shoot a
cashier at a petrol station in Eastleigh, Hampshire. The
cashier refused to hand over cash from the till and the gunman ran off.
Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News,
1 April 2010
A man pointed a handgun at
staff in a bookmakers in Widnes, Cheshire, before making of with
cash.
Luton Today,
1 April 2010
Staff at an off-licence in
Luton, Bedfordshire, were forced to hand over cash after a gang
of four men held them at gunpoint with what appeared to be a handgun.
Doncaster Free Press,
1 April 2010
A mother was preparing a
bottle for her one-year-old son when a pellet from an
airgun shattered her kitchen window
in Thorne, South Yorkshire.
BBC,
1 April 2010 *
A woman whose body was found
in a freezer at a pub in Snettisham, Norfolk, last month died from a gunshot
wound to the head. Her boyfriend who
ran the pub with her has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge (BBC,
2 August 2010).
See
March 2010 Review
BBC,
1 April 2010
Two men on bicycles and
armed with guns held up a travel agents in Great Missenden,
Buckinghamshire. They forced members of staff into a back office
before stealing money from a till.
BBC,
1 April 2010
Scott Brown has been jailed
for six years after admitting a robbery at a supermarket in Exmouth,
Devon, in January 2010 (see
Incidents). He pointed a firearm at a cashier.
The gun has not been recovered.
The
Argus,
1 April 2010
A man left empty-handed
after demanding cash from betting shop staff in Worthing, West
Sussex. He had what looked like a handgun but staff refused to
give him any money.
SCOTLAND
Telegraph,
30 April 2010 *
Caroline Igoe has
been convicted of the murder of her boyfriend in Edinburgh in
January 2009 (see Incidents).
Her brother Paul Igoe was cleared of murder but both were convicted of
possessing the murder weapon and attempting to cover their tracks.
The victim was shot in the head outside their home after they had rowed
in the hours leading up to his death. The murder weapon was a
converted blank-firing pistol. The gun belonged to the victim (Daily
Record, 1 May 2010) who had shown Igoe how to use it (Times,
1 May 2010). She has been jailed for life and will serve a minimum
of 20 years (Daily Record, 28 May 2010).
stv,
26 April 2010
An armed gang have
stolen thousands of pounds from a Sikh temple in Pollokshields,
Glasgow. A worshipper was threatened with a handgun before the
money was handed over.
BBC,
26
April 2010 *
For 28 years following his death Gail Cochrane held on to a pistol her
father had kept as a "trophy of
war". The police found the gun, which was in working order, hidden
under a mattress at her home in Dundee when they were searching
the premises for her son. She admitted having the gun without a
firearms certificate and possessing the prohibited weapon without the
authority of the Secretary of State or Scottish ministers.
She has been jailed for five years (BBC, 16 June 2010). She
has appealed against the sentence, but the two judges at the Court of
Criminal Appeal have not reached agreement and the case will now be
heard by three judges (BBC, 3 September 2010).
Sunday Mail,
18
April 2010
A man was knifed to death in
a park in Maryhill, Glasgow, by a gang armed with knives and a
shotgun. Two other men were also
stabbed.
Scotland on Sunday,
18
April 2010
A man walked into a
bookmakers in Corstorphine, Edinburgh, and threatened the cashier
with what appeared to be a handgun. The cashier was forced to hand
over money.
BBC,
18
April 2010
Armed police were involved
in a stand-off with a householder in Dunbeath, Caithness.
The incident followed reports of a man with a gun and an earlier
disturbance between a man and a woman. A man was arrested.
Paisley Daily Express,
13
April 2010
A man was found shot dead on
the road to the cemetery outside Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire.
A single shot from a shotgun was
heard. The investigation is ongoing and a report concerning the
death has been sent to the Procurator Fiscal.
BBC,
13
April 2010
Three men attempted to
abduct a man from his home in Crookston, Glasgow. The
victim was threatened with firearms as they attempted to pull him into a
car. He escaped with minor injuries.
Greenock Telegraph,
12
April 2010
Andrew Reilly took twelve
.22 air rifle shots from the window of
a flat into a street in Greenock, Renfrewshire, in February 2010.
He admitted repeatedly firing the gun to the reckless danger of others
and was given a six-month deferred sentence.
Sunday Mail,
11
April 2010
Two men have been shot in
the leg with a shotgun at the front
door of a house in Pollok, Glasgow. It is understood that
an attempt had been made earlier to run over one of the victims.
Press & Journal,
10
April 2010
A police armed response unit
was called to a flat in the Menzieshill district of Dundee and
following a nine hour stand-off a
man was detained in connection with an alleged assault of a woman.
A witness said there was a lot of talk that a gun was involved, but the
police would not confirm if a firearm had been recovered.
Evening Express,
9
April 2010
A 5-year-old boy has become
the latest victim of a BB gun
shooting. The boy was shot in the head whilst he was in a play
park in Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire. It is understood that
two boys thought to be in their early teens were at the scene. A
13-year-old has been charged (Evening Express, 28 April 2010).
Evening News,
2
April 2010
It is alleged that a
suspected drug dealer was found with a gun in the boot of his car when
police swooped on the vehicle in Edinburgh after they had
followed him on a 500-mile round trip to Merseyside. He denies all
charges against him.
Paisley Daily Express,
1 April 2010
Two elderly men were
attacked with a gun and baseball bat during a robbery at one of the
men's home in Renfrew. Two men ransacked a number of rooms
and took more than £10,000 worth of possessions.
WALES
Daily Mirror,
15 April 2010
An 18-year-old boy has
apparently shot and killed himself with a gun from the gun club to which he
belonged. The gun is reported to have been a pistol. The
incident happened at his home in Llantrisant, Mid Glamorgan.
BBC,
8 April 2010
A man who was found to have
397 bullets hidden in a dog kennel at his home in Denbigh, Clwyd,
has been jailed for a year. Police found the .22 ammunition
following a drugs search in January 2010. Robert Reeves admitted
possessing the bullets.
INCIDENTS INVOLVING ANIMALS
Cambridge News,
30 April 2010
In another
airgun attack a cat has had his leg
fractured. He was hobbling when he returned to the family home in
Fulbourn, Cambridgeshire. A pellet was retrieved from him
and given to police.
Daily Post,
28 April 2010
A cat has been shot in the
chest with an airgun in
Caernarfon, Gwynedd. The cat survived after being treated by a
vet.
Press & Journal,
27 April 2010
Gulls have died a cruel and
lingering death after being shot and wounded in a spate of
airgun attacks in a residential area of
Nairn. X-rays have revealed pellets embedded in their
bodies.
Express & Star,
27 April 2010
An
airgun pellet was removed from the shoulder of a young cat
shot in Streetly, West Midlands. She is believed to have
been in a back garden when she was shot.
East Anglian Daily Times,
27 April 2010
A cat has been seriously
injured when she was shot with an air weapon
in Rendlesham, Suffolk. She had a puncture wound on one
side of the body and a lump on the other side which the vet thought was
the pellet.
Border Counties Advertizer,
27 April 2010 *
A cat was blinded in one eye
by an airgun sniper in Weston
Rhyn, Shropshire. His owner pointed to a further 47 pellets
embedded in a wall near her home as a result of shootings which had been
going on for "quite some considerable time". A local
businessman has offered £100 reward for evidence leading to the
conviction of the person responsible (Border Counties Advertizer,
4 May 2010).
South Wales Argus,
20 April 2010
A family cat is recovering
after being shot twice with a pellet gun
in Newport, Gwent. He was found behind the garden shed
covered in blood. One of the pellets was close to his heart and
lungs.
Express & Star,
19 April 2010
A swan has been shot dead
with an air rifle at a beauty spot
in Great Wyrley, Staffordshire. The swan is believed to
have been nesting on eggs, meaning its chicks will also die.
Northern Echo,
16 April 2010
A lamb has been shot and
killed with a high-powered air rifle
at a farm in Dalton, North Yorkshire. The farmed found the
lamb in a remote field. It had been shot twice. There had
been a similar incident in the same field last year when two lambs were
shot and left for dead.
Westmorland Gazette,
15 April 2010
A sniper with an
airgun has been taking pot shots at
pigs on farms in South Lakeland. Fifteen animals at a farm in
Allithwaite, Cumbria, were found peppered with pellets and police
believe the incidents may be more widespread. Pellets were found
in meat supplied to a butcher's shop at Grange-over-Sands.
This is Cornwall,
15 April 2010
A cat has been shot and
killed in Helston, Cornwall. Her owners thought she had
been involved in a cat fight but her condition deteriorated and she
died. An x-ray revealed two airgun
pellets, at least one of which had penetrated her chest and ended up in
her neck. The shooting was described as appalling by the local
vet.
Cambridge News,
14 April 2010
A swan was shot twice in the
neck and left to die. The gunman was disturbed by two walkers in
Stow-cum-Quy, Cambridgeshire, and was carrying the wounded bird
under his arm. When he was spotted he dumped the swan and his
air rifle and ran off.
News & Star,
12 April 2010
A kitten has been left with
a pellet in his skull after being shot in the head with an
airgun. The attack took place
near his home in Croasdale, Cumbria. A £400 reward has been
offered for information about the shooting (News & Star, 19 April
2010).
Click for more details.
Basingstoke Gazette,
11 April 2010
Police are appealing for
witnesses after a pigeon was shot with an air
rifle in Little Basing, Hampshire, and landed on a
house. A police officer commented that "discharging a missile,
such as a pellet in this instance, beyond your boundary is illegal and
could cause damage to property or injury to a person.
Dewsbury Reporter,
9 April 2010
A cat has been left with an
air rifle pellet lodged in her back
after she was shot with an air rifle near the family home in
Earlsheaton, West Yorkshire. Similar potentially fatal
injuries are a common sight at the Veterinary Group's surgeries.
One of partners said it was hard to know the true picture as many owners
were unaware their pets had been shot.
Express & Star,
8 April 2010
A man has admitted causing
unnecessary suffering to an animal. Paul Rafferty kept his elderly
cat tethered to a tree in a neighbour's garden in Ettingshall,
Wolverhampton, after it returned home unable to use its right rear leg
because it had been shot in the spine with a
pellet gun. It had been missing for three months and
Rafferty claimed he didn't want the noise of his decorating the house to
scare it. The cat was found by the RSPCA but had to be put to
sleep. Rafferty must not own or participate in the keeping of the
animal for the rest of his life (Express & Star, 15 April 2010).
Echo,
8 April 2010
A cat has been shot with an
air rifle in Shoebury, Essex.
An X-ray showed a pellet lodged between his throat and spine which the
vet was unable to remove. The cat is lucky to be alive but if the
pellet moves it could kill him. In an incident which might be
connected the bedroom window of a house in Shoebury was shot with
an air rifle (Southend Standard,
16 April 2010).
Whitehaven News,
7 April 2010
Police are trying to trace a
teenager in Egremont, Cumbria, after two wild birds, a sparrow
and a starling, were found shot dead. A teenage boy was seen in
the area firing air rifle pellets
into a nearby garden.
