APRIL
2012
Sentences and Convictions
GCN compiles
an on-going list of incidents involving guns. In this section
are sentences and convictions for court rulings, and the verdicts of
inquests, made this month.
We know that our information
is incomplete. The number of incidents in our lists is between 10
and 15 percent of the total number of firearms offences recorded in Home
Office and Scottish Government figures, though we believe nearly all of
the most serious crimes are being included. Your help in collecting more
information would be greatly appreciated. If you have any information
about an incident please contact us by email
contact@gun-control-network.org.
Please see
our explanation of
why we
highlight incidents involving air weapons.
ENGLAND
Surrey Comet,
28
April 2012
Michael
Ward, 20, admitted robbing a computer store in Kingston, Surrey.
Ward used an imitation machine gun
to threaten staff before escaping with cash.
Spenborough Guardian,
27
April 2012
Four men
were jailed for holding a man hostage in Batley, West Yorkshire.
They threatened the victim with a gun and held him for 17 hours. Cainan
Jerome, 20, was sentenced to eight years for false imprisonment and
possessing a pistol. Jamie Wadsworth, 18, was jailed for five years for
false imprisonment, possessing a firearm and drugs. Elijah Jerome, 21,
was handed six and a half years for false imprisonment and possessing a
sawn-off shotgun. Ian Morris, 40,
was jailed for three years for possessing a
stun gun and drugs.
Times Series,
27
April 2012
Adrian
Bledea, 22, was jailed for six years after pleading guilty to robbery
and possession of an
imitation firearm. Bledea and two
others robbed a post office in Barnet, north London, assaulting
an elderly shopkeeper and stealing cash and stamps.
Salisbury Journal,
26
April 2012
Luke Wort,
16, has been given an 18-month youth rehabilitation order after
threatening younger boys with a BB gun
on two occasions in Salisbury. Wort pointed the replica
firearm at two 13-year-old boys, stealing the mobile phone of one of the
victims.
The Post,
26
April 2012
Morris
Clarke, Adrian Gough and Darren Edge have been jailed for firearm and
drugs offences after the trio were caught with a loaded handgun and a
large supply of drugs. Clarke was sentenced to 15 years, while Gough was
jailed for six years and eight months and Edge received five years and
four months.
Bury Free Press,
25
April 2012
James
Jerrold, 18, pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing a
shotgun without a certificate.
Jerrold kept the illegal guns at a caravan in Barningham, Suffolk
where he was caught by police. Jerrold was given a suspended sentence in
a Young Offenders' Institution, ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid
work and fined
£667.
The Citizen,
25
April 2012
Kelton
Mann admitted possessing three illegal stun
guns after police found the weapons at his home in
Gloucester. His partner Krystle Goddard also pleaded guilty to
possessing CS spray, and both were guilty of cultivating cannabis. Mann
and Goddard were ordered to do 250 and 80 hours of unpaid work,
respectively.
Waltham Forest News,
23
April 2012
Tyrone
Tassell has been jailed for seven years and six months for attempted
robbery and possessing a loaded firearm in Walthamstow, east
London. Tassell tried to ditch his loaded
shotgun on a children's playground while fleeing from police,
but he was caught and the weapon recovered.
This is Bristol,
21
April 2012
Paulo
Mastro and Mamasses Sousa have been jailed for six and five years
respectively for an armed robbery at a restaurant in Clifton,
Bristol. Both men pleaded guilty to possession of an
imitation firearm and possession
of an offensive weapon.
Pendle Today,
21
April 2012
Donna
Sherwin has been jailed for seven months after pulling a knife on her ex
partner who allegedly threatened her with a gun in Nelson,
Lancashire. The victim allegedly told her he had a
shotgun down his pants before an
altercation ensued.
Western Daily Press,
21
April 2012
Jason
Martin admitted possessing an imitation firearm
with intent to cause fear of violence and intent to supply drugs. Martin
fired multiple shots from a BB gun at police officers in Swindon,
Wiltshire.
Express and Star,
20
April 2012
Nathan
Hamilton has been jailed for 12 years after he shot and killed a
17-year-old in Wolverhampton. Hamilton, convicted of
manslaughter, apparently accidentally blasted the victim in the chest
while the gang both men belonged to planned a revenge attack.
Hull Daily Mail,
20
April 2012
Gordon
Houlden was given a suspended prison sentence after admitting unlawfully
wounding a victim in Hull. Houlden shot a 12-year-old boy with an
air rifle when he fired the gun out
of his bathroom window at the victim and his friends. The boy required
surgery to remove the pellet but survived the shooting. Houlden was
ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work and pay the victim
£1,500 compensation.
Your Local Guardian,
19
April 2012
Anthony
McCalla, 20, Nathaniel Grant, 21, and Kazeem Kolawole, 19, were
convicted of attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm after
their murder plot to kill a gang rival resulted in a five-year-old girl
being shot in Stockwell, south London. Grant, who pulled the
trigger, was jailed for 17 years, while McCalla and Kolawole were
sentenced to 14 years. The victim of the shooting was left paralysed
from the waist down.
Your Local Guardian,
19
April 2012
Clayton
McCalman has been jailed for ten years after admitting possessing a
firearm with intent to endanger life and possessing ammunition with
intent to enable another to endanger life. McCalman was caught with a
loaded semi-automatic pistol in Mitcham, south London.
The Star,
18
April 2012
A
16-year-old boy has been given a six-month rehabilitation order after he
shot a nine-year-old girl in the face with a BB
gun in Yorkshire. The teenager reportedly held a gun
to the girl's head and then shot her as she ran away, hoping to steal
money and a bicycle. He admitted possession of an imitation firearm with
intent to cause fear of violence and common assault.
Plymouth Herald,
17
April 2012
Philip
Cowan pleaded guilty to common assault, damaging personal property and
affray, though he denied possessing an
imitation firearm with intent to cause fear. The charges come
after Cowan assaulted another man in Plymouth -- despite
admitting the above charges and apparently wielding a replica
rifle, Cowan denies he threatened the victim with it before he assaulted
him.
Harrow Observer,
16
April 2012
Robert
Shorter as been jailed for seven years for having a loaded gun in
public. Shorter was convicted of possession of a firearm and ammunition
after he was caught with a loaded converted Olympic pistol in
Northolt, west London.
Yorkshire Evening Post,
15
April 2012
John
Payne, 18, has been sent to a young offenders institution for 12 months
after pleading guilty to possession of a prohibited weapon and
possession of cannabis with intent to supply. Police found an antique
revolver hidden among Payne's drugs supply when they executed a search
warrant at his home in Leeds.
Coventry Telegraph,
14
April 2012
Aaron
Collins and Richard Challenor have been jailed for ten years and eight
years, respectively, after carrying out an attempted armed robbery in
Stratford, West Midlands. The men reportedly threatened security
guards at a bank with an imitation gun
and sledgehammer.
Malvern Gazette,
14
April 2012
Two
17-year-old boys were ordered to work with a Youth Offending Service
after they admitted possessing imitation
firearms and knives. The teenagers drunkenly fired BB guns
out of a car and took the guns and a machete to a house party in
Worcester. No one was hit by the pellets they fired although one
driver's car was hit as he drove past them.
The Enquirer,
13
April 2012
Roger
Aiken has been jailed a minimum of 15 years after being found guilty of
attempted murder and possession of a firearm. Aiken shot a man with a
handgun in Barking, east London, injuring the victim in the head
and arm. The victim continues to suffer following the attack in August
2011, and he has been left permanently blind in one eye.
Oxford Times,
13
April 2012
Antonio
Jones has been given a hospital order under the Mental Health Act after
being convicted of possessing an imitation
firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, possessing
cannabis and theft. Jones waved the fake gun at passers-by in Oxford,
threatening members of the public and passing traffic.
The Sentinel,
12
April 2012
Imran
Aslam has been jailed for three years for his role in an armed robbery
in Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent. Aslam admitted armed robbery and
possessing an imitation firearm.
News Shopper,
11
April 2012
Owen
Roberts has been handed a community order after he threatened his
girlfriend with an imitation firearm
in Erith, southeast London. Roberts reportedly pointed the gun at
the victim and verbally threatened to kill her. The ruling judge cited
Roberts' mental health as the reason for not imprisoning him for the
guilty charge of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of
violence.
St Helens Reporter,
11
April 2012
Christopher Strettle has been convicted of murdering his best friend in
Prescot, Merseyside. Strettle shot the victim in the chest before
his wife, Lesley, disposed of the murder weapon. She pleaded guilty to
assisting an offender and possessing a banned firearm. Strettle
reportedly used a handgun in the attack (Liverpool
Echo, 30 March 2012).
Lancashire Evening Post,
11
April 2012
Daniel
Nicholls has been jailed for ten years and ten months after shooting a
man in Preston, Lancashire. Nicholls shot and injured the victim
with a handgun, and he pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with
intent to endanger life.
Worcester News,
11
April 2012
Callum
Bradford and John Cary, each aged 17, both pleaded guilty to possessing
an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and
possessing a bladed weapon. The pair threatened a man in Worcester
with a BB gun, a machete and a stanley knife.
Bournemouth Echo,
11
April 2012
Nasir
Demir has been jailed for seven years after taking part in an armed
robbery in Bournemouth, Dorset. Demir, who admitted robbery, was
one of three men who bound, blindfolded and threatened a shop owner with
what turned out to be an imitation gun.
This is Wiltshire,
6
April 2012
Paul
Muller has been jailed for ten years after taking his son hostage in
2001 and then going on the run. Police arrested him for a domestic
dispute in Swindon when he held his son hostage at knifepoint,
also possessing an imitation handgun.
He falsely claimed he had a bomb and used his son as a human shield from
police. After police eventually captured him, Muller skipped bail and
was caught in December 2010 after he took a second son hostage in
Cambridgeshire.
Birmingham Mail,
6
April 2012
Keane
Pullen has been jailed for 12 years after carrying out four armed
robberies in Birmingham. Pullen threatened to shoot a 'heavily
pregnant bank cashier' and wielded a knife in other assaults before
being eventually being arrested and linked to the crimes.
Kidderminster Shuttle,
5
April 2012
Thomas
Loveridge, 21, has been jailed for 21 days for breaching a court order
and will face a further burglary charge after allegedly stealing items
from a store in Kidderminster, Worcestershire. Loveridge is
charged with the burglary of a store in which an
air rifle, electrical goods and cash were stolen.
Swindon Advertiser,
5
April 2012
Owen
Bygraves, Lewis Hicks and Samuel Ackah have been jailed for seven, eight
and ten years, respectively, after being found guilty of wounding with
intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The trio entered a home in
Swindon and assaulted a woman using a stun
gun and a dog chain.
West Briton,
5 April 2012
Travis
Hughes, 20, has been ordered to do unpaid work and given a suspended
sentence after cutting himself and another man over his relationship.
Police shot Hughes three times with a stun gun
to subdue him, before arresting and convicting him of affray and common
assault.
Redhill and Reigate Life,
4
April 2012
Jonathan
Haynes and Trevor Mair have been jailed for 14 years and nine years,
respectively, after robbing a customer at a bank in Kensington,
west London. The pair intercepted an aide carrying money for the Saudi
Royal Family and held him at gunpoint, stealing
£2 million in cash.
Essex County Standard,
4
April 2012
Nathan
Dobkin has been jailed for nine years for armed robbery. Dobkin
threatened staff with an imitation firearm
in Clacton, Essex and escaped with cash. A month later, he
broke into a house in Dovercourt, Essex and stole a car.
Telegraph and Argus,
4
April 2012
Jonathon
Withey, 19, has been jailed for one year and eight months after
assaulting a man with an imitation firearm
in Bradford. Withey held the imitation pistol to the throat of a
man queueing for a nightclub, before putting the gun away and then being
captured by nightclub staff.
Burnley Express,
3
April 2012
Four men
have been jailed for three armed robberies in Burnley and
Bolton. Rais Atcha, 20, was jailed for 12 years; Baber Khan, 25, was
jailed for ten years and eight months; Fahim Kola, 19, was given 10
years; and Mohammed Khan, 26, was sentenced to nine years and four
months. The group used a gun and an axe to rob a jewellers and two
houses between February and May 2011.
Racing Post,
3
April 2012
Martin
Reilly has been jailed for a minimum of 12 years after carrying out a
string of armed robberies in Northamptonshire, Hampshire, Surrey,
Bedfordshire, London and Essex. Reilly pleaded guilty to seven
armed robberies, one attempted armed robbery and seven counts of
possession of a firearm.
Brighton and Hove News,
3
April 2012
Colin
Priske has been jailed for seven years for firearms and drugs charges in
Brighton. Police executed a warrant at Priske's address and found
a sawn-off shotgun with ammunition
as well as amphetamines.
Stourbridge News,
2
April 2012
A group of
seven men have been jailed for armed robberies in West Midlands.
Waheed Zaman was jailed for ten years; Imran Zaman and Ryan Jones were
sentenced to nine years each; Levi Melbourne, Lewis Richards and Larry
Barnett were given six and a half years each; and Qaiser Rashid was
jailed for five years. The gang was reportedly armed with a handgun,
stun gun, machete and home-made battering ram as they robbed three
jewellery shops, a bookmakers and a series of homes.
BBC
News,
2
April 2012
Janno
Heinola has been jailed for nine years for his role in a series of armed
robberies. Heinola is reportedly the final member of an eight-person
gang responsible for 11 raids across England involving
imitation firearms. Heinola pleaded
guilty to robbery and firearm offences in Leeds in an incident
that took place in 2005.
Bedfordshire News,
2
April 2012
Robertas
Jonaitis, 21, and Aurelius Ramanauskas, 24, have been handed community
orders of nine months and 12 months, respectively after accidentally
firing an air rifle in Luton.
The pair were reportedly firing two air rifles in a back garden when one
accidentally struck a neighbour's window, causing
damage valued at £670.
Worcester
News,
2
April 2012
A man has been given a 12-month community order and ordered to do 60
hours of unpaid work after pleading guilty to possessing an
imitation firearm. The man had
been battling depression and had threatened suicide, reportedly wandered
around Evesham, Worcestershire with the gun and contemplated
robbing a bank. Eventually he handed himself in to police and confessed
what he had intended to do.
SCOTLAND
BBC News,
26
April 2012
James
Adams was convicted of possessing a a stun gun
in Kilmarnock. Adams was caught with the weapon in his car, along
with a knife and CS gas. Adams pled guilty to firearms charges and
possessing a knife in public.
Scotsman,
19
April 2012
Christine
Robertson was convicted of harbouring a criminal while she worked as a
prison officer in Perthshire. Police found the pair naked in bed
and used a stun gun to subdue the
convicted criminal, who was armed with a knife, before arresting
Robertson.
STV,
10
April 2012
Callum
Flood admitted illegally possessing a firearm disguised as another
object after police arrested him for firing a
stun gun at a friend in Dundee. The ruling judge
decided to defer the mandatory five-year sentence for a year following
the incident.
WALES
Tivy-Side Advertiser,
26
April 2012
Ian Taylor
pleaded guilty to possessing a sawn-off shotgun
and drugs in Llwyndafydd. Police found the weapon and
cannabis resin at his home, and Taylor was given two years' conditional
discharge as well as a fine of
£200.
Daily Post,
20
April 2012
Bryan
Allen has been jailed for two and a half years after keeping a woman in
a flat against her will all night in Rhyl. Allen threatened the
victim by holding a knife to her throat and a
BB gun to her head.
Cambrian News,
19
April 2012
Alan Owen
has been fined after pleading guilty to three charges of failing to
comply with firearm regulations in Llanbedr, Gwynedd. Two
shotguns were apparently stolen from
Owen as a result of his failure to keep the firearms under lock and key
as regulations stipulate. Owen was fined
£3,500.
The Leader,
17
April 2012
Joshua
Hughes, 18, was sentenced to 15 months in youth detention after he and a
17-year-old attacked another 17-year-old in Acrefair, Wrexham.
Hughes and his friend bound and gagged the victim, locked him in a
cupboard, physically beat him and shot him several times at close range
with a BB gun.
South Wales Evening Post,
16
April 2012
Anthony
Irving has been jailed for three years after pleading guilty to
possessing a sawn-off shotgun and
ammunition in Fforestfach. Irving reportedly intended to kill
himself with the weapon after relationship and financial difficulties
escalated, and these circumstances led the judge to reduce the mandatory
five-year sentence for this offence.
South Wales Argus,
7
April 2012
A group of
men were jailed for transporting drugs between Gwent and
Reading. Damien Cadogan was sentenced to five years for possession
of a firearm and his role in the drugs trafficking.
Daily Post,
6
April 2012
Patrick
Lane has been jailed for three years and four months after holding up a
shop in Rhyl, Denbighshire with an
imitation firearm. Lane, who admitted robbery and possessing
an imitation weapon, pointed the gun at staff and stole a single bottle
of lager.
Monmouthshire News,
3
April 2012
Greg
Searle has been jailed for two years after forcing an eight-hour siege
with police in Chepstow. Searle barricaded himself in his bedroom
and brandished an imitation handgun
as well as a knife, threatening to harm police officers. Officers
eventually forced their way into the home and arrested Searle, who was
convicted of possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear,
affray, and a third offence under the malicious communications act.
