MAY 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
The Gazette (Blackpool), 31 May 2010
A man showed two women a
pistol in his waistband and told them "I have a gun and I'm going to use
it". Simon Ford was put under citizen's arrest after the incident
outside a pub in Blackpool, Lancashire, and has pleaded guilty to
possessing an imitation firearm in
public. The gun was a cigarette lighter, in the form of a full-sized
handgun. He was sentenced to do 180 hours unpaid community work.
Evening Chronicle, 31 May 2010
Raymond Shiels from West
Denton, Tyneside, who was jailed for eight years after pleading guilty
to possession of criminal property, a prohibited firearm, and ammunition
without a certificate has had his appeal dismissed. A pistol and
ammunition were found buried in his allotment.
Derby Evening Telegraph, 31 May 2010
Two men who raided eight
convenience stores in the East Midlands and the West Country have been
jailed for seven years. During robberies in Sandiacre,
Derbyshire, (see Incidents)
and Shepshed, Leicestershire, in September 2009 they threatened
staff with a stun gun. Wayne
Hill and Shaun Watson were both jailed for seven years. A third man
involved in some of the robberies who admitted theft was given a suspended
10 month prison sentence and must do 150 hours' community work.
Daily Echo, 31 May 2010
A man who claimed to have a
gun during a robbery in a betting shop in Poole, Dorset, in April
2010 has pleaded guilty to the robbery. Grenville Martin was jailed
for 12 months.
BBC, 31 May 2010
Armed police were called to a
house in Romford, east London, where a lone man was reportedly
brandishing a firearm.
BBC, 31 May 2010
A man was shot in the stomach
by two men who forced their way into his house in Baguley, Greater
Manchester. His injuries were described as "not life-threatening".
Sunday Sun, 30 May 2010 *
A man was shot in the left
shoulder in a street in Stocksfield, Northumberland. Two men
have been arrested. A further two arrests have been made (BBC,
1 June 2010).
BBC, 30 May 2010 *
A man has died after being
shot in the street in Lewisham, south London. He was
pronounced dead at the scene. Three arrests have been made (BBC,
16 June 2010).
Shields Gazette, 29 May 2010
A man has appeared in court
accused of having a baton in his taxi and a stun
gun at his home in South Shields, Tyneside.
Liverpool Echo, 29 May 2010
Three men threatened three
female workers at a bookmakers in Tuebrook, Liverpool. One of
the men was armed with a silver handgun. The men stole several
hundred pounds in cash.
Evening Telegraph (Northampton),
29 May 2010 *
In February 2010 a gang
pointed a gun at a lorry driver's head and threatened to kill him before
stealing his load and holding him hostage. The men struck in a layby
in Rothwell, Northamptonshire, and abandoned the driver in a field
in Staffordshire. The lorry was taken to Skelmersdale. The
site manager of the industrial unit where it was unloaded and then set
alight is one of four men accused of conspiracy to rob (Northampton
Chronicle & Echo, 21 August 2010).
Evening Post (Bristol), 29 May
2010
A man was arrested in St
Paul's, Bristol, after he was seen carrying a
shotgun wrapped in a black plastic bag.
The man had just bought it legitimately and the police discovered that the
weapon had been deactivated. The man was released and his weapon was
temporarily confiscated. He was given strong advice on how he should
carry the gun around the streets in future.
BBC, 29 May 2010 *
Three men have been injured,
one fatally, in a shooting in Newham, east London. Officers
from Operation Trident are investigating. One man has been charged
with murder, attempted murder and possession of a firearm. A second
man has been charged with attempted murder (BBC, 9 June 2010).
Telegraph & Argus, 28 May 2010
Nassar Khan has pleaded guilty
to being the "insider" in an armed robbery on a refrigerated lorry which
took place behind a supermarket in Bradford in November 2009.
Kahn was in the lorry and was getting out when his two accomplices
brandished a gun at three other employees of the meat delivery firm.
The men stole over £21,000. The other two have not been apprehended.
He has been warmed to expect a long jail sentence.
Romford Recorder, 28 May 2010
Masked raiders shot at workers
in a scrapyard in Rainham, east London, during a robbery. The
gang escaped with a large, undisclosed sum of money from the office.
Northern Echo,
28 May 2010
Stuart Jones fired a
ball bearing gun at a young couple as
they made they way home in Peterlee, County Durham, in October
2009. The woman sustained a chipped tooth and her partner was hit on
the back of the hand by another pellet. Jones admitted two counts of
assault causing actual bodily harm. He was given an 18-month
community order during which he must undergo probation supervision.
Coventry Telegraph,
28 May 2010
A
stun gun and counterfeit cash were found during a raid on the
home of Daniel Blackstock in Foleshill, Coventry, in September
2009. He admitted owning the gun and the money and will serve 12
months for each offence, to run consecutively.
BBC,
28 May 2010
Students and staff at a school
in Formby, Merseyside, were locked in after a farmer heard a
gunshot close by. The incident had been sparked by practice sessions
at an RAF rifle range.
BBC,
28 May 2010 *
A man has suffered a gunshot
wound to his arm in Easton, Bristol. His injury is not
thought to be life-threatening. A man has been arrested on suspicion
of attempted murder and released on bail (BBC, 1 June 2010).
Westmorland Gazette,
27 May 2010
Thomas Hayes produced a
replica gun at a
hotel in Kendal, Cumbria, in March 2010 (see
Incidents) and sparked an armed police
response which brought traffic chaos to the town. He has pleaded
guilty to possessing an imitation firearm in a public place. He
will be sentenced later but is likely to be given a 160-hour community
service order.
Newham Recorder,
27 May 2010
An
imitation firearm and equipment used for converting firearms
were among items seized by police during raids in which drugs were also
recovered in Beckton, east London. Eight people were
arrested.
Kent Online,
27 May 2010
A man was arrested on
suspicion of discharging a firearm in a public place. Police seized
an airgun and a crossbow from a house in Lysted, Kent. A
target had been shot at with an air rifle
without the farmer's permission. The man was later released with a
caution for the offence.
Keighley News, 27 May 2010
William Skelton has pleaded
guilty to possessing a firearm without a licence. Armed police found
a single-barrel shotgun at his house
in Glusburn, North Yorkshire when they raided the property in
January 2010 on suspicion of him having a firearm. The shotgun was
found in three separate parts, hidden in his bedroom. The police
also seized cartridges and a .22 air rifle.
It was claimed that he had a legitimate reason for owning the shotgun, to
control rabbits in his orchard, but had "jumped the gun" by getting the
firearm before securing a licence. He was ordered to pay a fine of
£250 for possessing a shotgun without a licence. The guns and
cartridges will be destroyed.
Huddersfield Daily Examiner, 27 May 2010
Three boys aged 13, 14 and 15
were arrested on suspicion of robbery at a newsagents in Dewsbury
and a person in Dewsbury Moor, West Yorkshire, and possessing a
firearm after they were seen acting suspiciously outside a newsagents in
Batley.
Huddersfield Daily Examiner, 27 May 2010
The same man is believed to
have been responsible for two incidents in Longwood and Fartown,
West Yorkshire. He stole cash from the first shop and about 50
minutes later tried to rob a second shop. He was armed with what is
thought to have been a handgun.
Herts24, 27
May 2010
Two robbers, one brandishing
a handgun robbed a supermarket in Stevenage, Hertfordshire.
They made off with some cash.
The Herald (Plymouth), 27 May 2010
Seven people have been
arrested during raids in Plymouth in which thousands of pounds
worth of suspected drugs were seized along with a "prohibited weapon"
thought to be a stun device and a
"small mixture of ammunition".
Derby Evening Telegraph, 27 May 2010
A man threatened a
postmistress with an imitation firearm during an attempted robbery in
Loscoe, Derbyshire. The suspect was detained and an
imitation gun and a knife were recovered. He was charged
with attempted robbery, having an imitation firearm in public, having an
offensive weapon and common assault.
Burton Mail, 27 May 2010
A man was found dead with
gunshot wounds at his home in Melbourne, Derbyshire. There
are no suspicious circumstances and no other person was involved.
Birmingham Mail, 27 May 2010
A man was shot with a
pellet gun as he sat in a park in
Tipton, West Midlands. He was with his girlfriend when he
received a wound to his leg. Police wish to speak to a group of five
boys and two girls.
BBC,
27 May 2010
Police seized two stolen
shotguns and cannabis plants during a
raid in Thorney, Cambridgeshire. The guns had been stolen
from London around a year ago. Two men were arrested, one was
released on bail, the other without charge.
Northern Echo, 26 May 2010
Two vehicles were fired at
with a shotgun in Newton Aycliffe,
County Durham. Three spent cartridges were found at the rear of a
house and both vehicles sustained damage consistent with a shotgun
discharge.
Local Guardian, 26 May 2010
A gunman held a weapon to a
van driver's head and forced him to drive to an alleyway in Wanstead,
north east London, where he made his victim take off his trousers.
The man then drove off in the van.
Cambridge News, 26 May 2010
A kebab van owner was shot by
three men carrying airguns and a knife
in Trumpington, Cambridgeshire. He was hit on the chin, arm
and back when he refused to hand over his money but he chased the men
away. He was treated in hospital for minor injuries.
Northern Echo, 25 May 2010
Alarm was caused by a gun seen
on the front seat of a car involved in a fatal crash in Langley Park,
County Durham. The gun has been described as a
BB gun (Northern Echo, 24 May
2010).
Manchester Evening News, 25 May 2010
Fourteen people were arrested
in an operation in south Manchester to tackle gun crime. The
police recovered a number of weapons including a
shotgun and two handguns.
Lancashire Evening Post, 25 May 2010
A greenhouse in Leyland,
Lancashire, was shattered when a ball-bearing gun,
stones and a football were fired at it.
ITN, 25 May 2010
Dean Rowe has pleaded guilty
to attempted murder and firearms offences. He shot two men at a
nightclub in Balsall Heath, Birmingham, in September 2009 (see
Incidents). He
has been sentenced to 16 years in prison.
Grimsby Telegraph, 25 May 2010
A gang burst into the home of
a man in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, and assaulted him and his family
before firing a shotgun in a failed
blackmail attempt (see November
2009 Incidents). The shot missed their victim. Earlier in
the day one of them had visited the house demanding money. Paul
Blake and James Bence were found guilty of possessing a firearm to commit
an indictable offence and a separate charge of blackmail and were both
jailed for nine years. Stephen Hitchmough pleaded guilty to
possessing a firearm with intent to endanger a life and blackmail was
jailed for 10 years and nine months. A fourth man was found not
guilty.
East Anglian Daily Times, 25 May 2010
A man and a woman who claimed
to have a gun threatened workers at a bank in Brightlingsea, Essex,
and stole several hundred pounds. No weapon was seen. Two
people were later arrested.
Cornish Guardian, 25 May 2010
Firearms officers surrounded a
house in Launceston, Cornwall, amid concerns that a woman objecting
to being evicted had access to an air rifle.
A woman was arrested after more than four hours of negotiation and the
police were "in possession" of the air rifle.
BBC, 25 May 2010
A man was arrested on
suspicion of carrying a gun at a cemetery in Moston, Manchester.
He was also suspected of robbery.
Yorkshire Evening Post, 24 May 2010
Kyle Horton was drunk when he
fired a sawn-off shotgun at a club in
Pontefract, West Yorkshire, in March 2009 and hit a man in the leg.
He had an ongoing feud with the landlord's son. He has been jailed
indefinitely for the public's protection with a minimum of four years.
Watton & Swaffham Times, 24 May 2010
Three windows at a community
hall in Watton, Norfolk, have been damaged by pellets fired from
either an air pistol or
BB gun.
Evening Telegraph (Peterborough), 24 May 2010
A couple have been injured in
a drive-by shooting in Moss Side, Manchester. A teenage girl
suffered a gunshot wound to her elbow and a man was hit by a bullet in the
lower back. Both were being treated in hospital and were not in
life-threatening conditions. The police believe the girl was an
entirely innocent bystander. Three males, one of them aged 16, have
been arrested (BBC, 25 May 2010).
East Anglian Daily Times, 24 May 2010
Matthew Whale, 19, from
Ipswich has pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation and a
separate charge of possessing a stun gun.
It was claimed he had bought the gun to protect his family from being
burgled. He was sentenced to 90 days in a young offenders'
institute. His stun gun will be destroyed.
Burnham-on-Sea.com, 24 May 2010
A 10-year-old boy was shot in
the face with a BB gun in
Highbridge, Somerset. The shot was fired by another boy
after two small groups of youths were involved in an altercation in a
park. The victim suffered an injury to his mouth. A
14-year-old suspect has been dealt with by means of restorative justice (Weekly
News, 27 May 2010).
BBC, 24 May 2010
A man has been found dead at
his home in Watford, Hertfordshire, after holding his wife
prisoner. Officers had been warned he had a firearm and a gun was
found at the scene. The incident is not being treated as suspicious.
BBC, 23 May 2010
*
Two men entered a convenience
store in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, and threatened customers
and staff with a long-barrelled gun. A man in his late teens was
later arrested. A second teenager has appeared in court charged with
possession of an imitation firearm and
attempted robbery (Harrogate Advertiser, 2 June 2010).
Liverpool Echo, 22 May 2010
A teenager suffering from
gunshot wounds was found in Thornton, Merseyside. Police
believe he was shot in Netherton, where gunshots had been reported,
before moving to Thornton. His injuries were non-life threatening.
Eight suspects have been arrested.
Hartlepool Mail, 22
May 2010
Armed police were scrambled
after reports that a man was firing an air
rifle inside a disused chemical site in Hartlepool.
He had been seen taking pot-shots at birds. The man was arrested
and charged with having an air weapon in a public place.
Haringey Independent,
22 May 2010
A man has been arrested on
suspicion of gun and cannabis possession following a raid in Fortis
Green, north London.
BBC, 22
May 2010 *
A teacher at a school in
Cannington, Somerset, was arrested in April after allegations he
passed a shotgun to a pupil.
Following this and other incidents the headmaster of the school has been
suspended during an inquiry into alleged failures in procedures for
safeguarding children. A former deputy head teacher has been
charged with nine sexually motivated assaults and two firearm offences,
possession of a handgun and the sale or transfer of a firearm. A
second teacher is charged with the possession and supply of a prohibited
weapon (BBC, 7 June 2010), a 410 double
barrelled shotgun with a barrel reduced to 12 in (This is
Somerset, 23 June 2010).
BBC, 22
May 2010 *
A man was killed in a
shooting as he left a takeaway in Paddington, west London.
He was treated at the scene but died from his injuries within an hour.
A murder investigation has started.
Seven men have been arrested over the murder (BBC, 14 August
2010).
BBC, 22
May 2010
At least one man was injured
as two groups shot at each other during a festival in a park in
Hackney, east London. One man was chased and shot in the
stomach. A 19-year-old has been arrested. The victim
remained in a serious condition in hospital (Hackney Gazette, 27
May 2010).
The Argus, 22
May 2010
A man has survived after
being blasted in the face with a shotgun
at his home in Eastbourne, East Sussex. His injuries are
said to be serious but not life threatening. The police are
satisfied that nobody else was involved in the incident but have not
established if the injuries were accidental or not. The man did
have a licence for the shotgun.
Wakefield Express,
21 May 2010
Robbers carrying a handgun
and a hammer raided a bookmakers in Outwood, West Yorkshire.
They made off with an amount of cash from the gaming machines.
Luton Today, 21
May 2010
Two men burst into a shop in
Farley Hill, Bedfordshire, and pointed what appeared to be a gun
at the owner and demanded cash from the till. The owner struck the
weapon holder with a metal bar and his assistant distracted the men who
fled the shop.
BBC, 21 May 2010
Two men carrying guns
sparked an armed response at a supermarket in Droitwich,
Worcestershire. The men were found to be carrying
air rifles and said they were shooting
pigeons. They were arrested on suspicion of firearm offences, but
no further action was taken.
BBC, 21 May 2010
A man suffered serious
injuries after he was shot in the back in Highgate, Birmingham.
He remained in hospital. Three men have been arrested on suspicion
of attempted murder.
BBC, 21 May 2010
Oliver Mazirel and Gary
Ridgewell-Smith have been jailed for nine years each following a
jewellery raid in Cowes, Isle of Wight, in July 2009 (see
Incidents). Both
pleaded guilty to robbery and Mazirel also admitted possessing an
imitation firearm.
Daily Echo, 20
May 2010
Armed police surrounded a
house in Southampton after a row between two men with a gun.
They were responding to reports of a fight in which one of the men
produced the firearm. He made off with the gun and was arrested at
the house. The other man was arrested at the scene of the fight.
Both await questioning on suspicion of firearms offences.
This is Local London,
19 May 2010
An inquest heard that a man
whose body was found in King's Wood, High Wycombe in
Buckinghamshire, in February 2010 committed suicide after being
interviewed by police over allegations he assaulted his wife. He
died from a gunshot wound to the head. Three
shotguns had been taken from him by
police over concerns that he was at risk to himself in September 2009,
were later returned but taken away again at the end of January.
The weapon found at the scene was an "old fashioned gun" given to him by
a colleague to look after. The coroner recorded a verdict that he
took his own life.
Horncastle News,
19 May 2010
A shopkeeper in
Horncastle, Lincolnshire, was shot with a
BB gun. She was setting up her shop when she was hit in the
arm which is now badly bruised. The gun was fired from the window
of a nearby flat. Shop windows and vehicles were also targeted.
Daily Echo,
19 May 2010
Peter Ogborn, a stand in
warden at a mobile home site in Holbury, Hampshire, pointed a
pistol at a visitor because he was fed up with the noise his car was
making. The gun was a ball bearing gun
he claimed he used for shooting rats. Ogborn, who was
drunk at the time of the incident, admitted possessing an imitation
firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. He was ordered to
carry out 40 hours unpaid work.
Cornish Guardian,
19 May 2010
Armed police fled to a
supermarket in Wadebridge, Cornwall, after reports of gunshots.
A security guard overheard three rounds. Police found nothing at
the scene and have speculated that the weapon could have been an
air rifle.
BBC,
19 May 2010
A man and woman have been
arrested after a handgun and ammunition were found at a property in
Tranmere, Merseyside. They were held on suspicion of money
laundering, possessing a firearm and ammunition, and drugs offences.
Huddersfield Daily
Examiner, 18
May 2010
Two men threatened a man and
his teenage granddaughter with a gun during an attempted robbery at a
property in Brighouse, West Yorkshire. The two men burst
into the house in what is believed to have been a targeted attack.
Neither of the victims was hurt and the suspects fled the scene
empty-handed.
BBC, 18
May 2010
Two security guards were
robbed of thousands of pounds they were delivering to a service station
in South Ockendon, Essex. A man with a handgun approached
them, took the cash and climbed over a fence.
BBC, 18
May 2010
Seven people were arrested
and a firearm seized during an operation investigating a cash machine
thefts conspiracy. Homes were raided in Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire, and Evesham, Worcestershire.
Yorkshire Evening Post,
17 May 2010
Geoffrey Bostan confronted
police officers after they flagged down his car in Armley, West
Yorkshire, in October 2009, and chased after him. He was
armed with a semi-automatic pistol. One of the police officers
kicked the gun out of his hand. He had previously held a gun to a
woman's head during a robbery at a travel agents in Leeds.
Bostan has been given an indeterminate sentence and ordered to serve a
minimum of eight years and 348 days.
Swindon Advertiser,
17 May 2010
Wesley Harvie from
Oakhurst, Swindon, has pleaded guilty to having an
SMK air rifle. He was caught with the weapon in
February 2010. He was banned from having the weapon after being
sentenced to custody at a young offenders' institution. He also
admitted assaulting a man.
The Star,
17 May 2010
Two men were arrested after
police found a gun stolen in North Kelsey Moor, Lincolnshire, in
the back of a vehicle following a car chase in June 2009. Simon
Robinson and Dean Pugh were both banned from possessing the
air rifle because of previous criminal
convictions. Both admitted theft from a vehicle and possession of
the firearm, and Pugh admitted dangerous driving. They were
ordered to complete unpaid work in the community, 110 hours for Pugh and
50 hours for Robinson.
Evening Telegraph
(Peterborough), 17
May 2010
The window of a house in
Peterborough has been damaged with a pellet
gun.
Kent Online,
17 May 2010
A robber threatened betting
shop staff at gunpoint in Rochester, Kent. He made off with
a small amount of cash. It was the latest in a string of thefts at
betting shops across the Medway Towns.
BBC,
17 May 2010
Four men were arrested on
suspicion of being in possession of a firearm after an incident when two
cars crashed and a man was seen brandishing a gun in Ipswich.
The incident took place close to a school. A fifth person has been
arrested (BBC, 18 May 2010).
BBC,
16 May 2010
Police are looking into
reports that gunshots were heard during a street brawl in Lemington,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, but have stressed that no-one had received firearms
injuries.
Liverpool Echo,
15 May 2010
A 16-year-old has admitted
killing another teenager while "fooling around" with a loaded revolver
at a house in Huyton, Merseyside, in January 2010 (see
Incidents).
Twenty minutes before the shooting the two youths and another friend had
taken pictures of each other posing with the weapon. In legal
terms the boy was responsible for manslaughter because of "gross
negligence". Dean Eastham, who had an unhealthy interest in
firearms at a young age, has been locked up for five years (Mail,
1 July 2010).
Liverpool Echo,
15 May 2010
A car was pulled over by
police in Bootle, Merseyside, after a call was received that
there was a handgun in the vehicle. No gun was found.
This is Nottingham,
14 May 2010
Three men who used an
imitation Glock 17 handgun and a knife
when they robbed a petrol station in Nottingham in August 2009
have been sentenced. Danny Cordwell has been jailed for eight
years for robbery and firearms offences, Jason Usher who admitted
perverting the course of justice and aiding and abetting an offender was
sentenced to 27 months and an unnamed 16-year-old who pleaded guilty to
two charges of robbery and possessing a firearm received a two-year
detention and training order.
This is Local London,
14 May 2010
Four men who were part of a
gang of burglars who broke into a house in Catford, south east
London, in December 2009 and threatened to shoot the occupants have been
jailed. They were armed with an imitation
firearm, a crowbar, the end of a snooker cue and a baseball
bat. The men stole phones, wallets and cash. Frederick
Braithwaite, David Dauverge and Granville During were sentenced to nine years and Anthony
Parnell was jailed for 12 years.
This is Hull & East
Riding,
14 May 2010
Pellets have been fired at
children on Beverley Westwood, North Humberside, and one
11-year-old boy was shot. Police tracked down five youths, aged 15
to 16, and seized a variety of imitation guns.
Police have destroyed the guns and the youths will be issued with
warning letters.
The Sun,
14 May 2010
An SAS commander was being
held in a psychiatric hospital after he disappeared with a loaded
shotgun, sparking a major police alert.
It was feared he might go on a rampage or kill himself. The man,
who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, was found in
Hereford.
Metro,
14 May 2010
Two Icelandic women who were
involved with a gang of criminals have admitted conspiracy to rob.
On one occasion Aldis Egilsdottir and Ragndeidur Holgersdottir lured a
victim to their home in Wiltshire where eight men lay in wait. The
men beat him up and took him to a derelict house in Harrow, north
west London, where he was threatened with a gun and robbed. The
two women were released from 18-month sentences after being on remand
for 299 days. The gang have never been caught.
BBC,
14 May 2010
A motorist was threatened
with a handgun by a man whose dog had run into the road, forcing the
driver to stop. The incident took place in Farrington Gurney,
Somerset. The gun was produced when the driver spoke to the dog
owner.
The Journal,
13 May 2010
A gang of three men, one
brandishing a shotgun, escaped with
cash after threatening a man at a house in Houghton-le-Spring,
County Durham. No one was injured but the victim was left shaken.
Get Bracknell,
13 May 2010 *
Tom Stevens has been
convicted of attempting to murder a rival at a mobile home site in
Crowthorne, Berkshire, in September 2009 (see
Incidents). He shot his victim
three times. He had claimed he had fired in self-defence because
he was scared his victim was going to shoot him, his wife and child.
The incident was the product of a long-standing gypsy rivalry. He
has been jailed for 22 years (BBC, 28 June 2010).
Yorkshire Post,
13 May 2010
Azar Sulman, 20, carried out
a series of gunpoint raids at betting shops in Leeds between
November 2009 and January 2010. He returned to a branch in January
2010 and brandished a pistol at staff. He was struck by a customer
and kicked the gun out of reach before sitting on him until help
arrived. The gun turned out to be an air
pistol. Sulman admitted three charges of robbery and
one of attempted robbery. He was sentenced to six years in a young
offender institution.
Westmorland Gazette,
13 May 2010
A car being driven near
Prizet, Cumbria, may have been hit by a 'stray bullet'. An
18-year-old woman passenger believes an object missed her by inches and
there was a 'massive explosion' in the car. The windscreen
shattered and there was a large hole in the frame above the passenger
door.
Times Series,
13 May 2010
Ashley Waterman broke into a
home in Cricklewood, north west London, in December 2010 and
threatened the homeowner with a stun gun.
At the time he had absconded from a secure hospital unit where he had
been sent after being jailed for five years. He pleaded guilty to
possession of a firearm, being a prohibited person and absconding from
custody and admitted six burglaries. He was handed an indefinite
prison sentence and will serve at least five years and ten months.
Liverpool Echo,
13 May 2010
John Farrell has pleaded
guilty to carrying out two robberies at bookmakers in the centre of
Liverpool in January and February 2010 (see
Incidents). They stole over
£10,000 during the two raids. He also admitted one charge of
possessing an imitation handgun
during the second raid. Another man has pleaded not guilty to the
single count of robbery.
The Herald
(Plymouth),
13 May 2010
A
ball bearing gun and a stun gun
were among items seized when nine people, including one woman, were
arrested and their computers seized after investigators from Devon
and Cornwall Constabulary uncovered an internet hate site against
a police officer.
BBC,
13 May 2010
A man was forced from his
car, driven to his home and robbed. The incident began when he was
chased in his car in Milnrow, Greater Manchester, and rammed from
behind. When he fled on foot he was assaulted with a gun.
They stole cash and a phone and other items from his home.
BBC,
13 May 2010
Vitalijus Tauslela has been
convicted of two counts of possessing firearms and one count of
possessing ammunition without a certificate. He was cleared of
possessing firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life and
importing goods. Eight handguns and ammunition were found in a
lorry which had arrived at the port of Dover, Kent, from Calais
in November 2009 (see
Incidents). He has been jailed for eight years.
BBC,
13 May 2010
A drunk man who attempted a
carjacking with an imitation gun as
a "prank" has had his sentence cut. Piotr Wypych terrified two
girls by tapping the gun on their car window in Northampton in
November 2009. He was jailed for two years after admitting
possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence but his
sentence has now been reduced to 16 months.
Yorkshire Evening Post,
12 May 2010
Thomas Oldfield pointed a
loaded rifle at a petrol station worker in Wakefield, West
Yorkshire, in March 2010 (see
Incidents) but was wrestled to the
ground. Oldfield pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and
possession of a firearm with intent and has been jailed for five years.
This is Sussex,
12 May 2010
Gun pellets were among a
number of dangerous items found during a tidying up exercise in woodland
at East Court, Sussex. The area is plagued by illegal 'wild
camping', camp fires, litter on the meadow and shooting of
air rifles on glass bottle targets.
This is Local London,
12 May 2010 *
Jordan Barclay, 18, has been
convicted of causing GBH with intent, affray and possession of a firearm
or imitation firearm in a public place and Ryan Gouldthorp, 18, was
found guilty of GBH and affray. The convictions followed an attack
on another teenager in Crayford, south east London, in July 2009.
Barclay had put a ball bearing gun
to the victim's head. They will be sentenced later and a third
culprit is being sought. Barclay has been sentenced to six year,
Gouldthorp to five years (News Shopper, 8 June 2010).
Redditch & Alcester
Standard,
12 May 2010
Lee Skyba followed a man and
pointed a gun, an imitation pistol, to his head because he was "sick" of
people in Redditch, Worcestershire. The incident took place
in the town in March 2009. He was convicted of an
imitation firearm with intent to cause
fear of violence and jailed for five years.
Liverpool Daily Post,
12 May 2010
Police seized a
sawn-off shotgun, drugs and
ammunition described as a mountain of cartridges and ammunition for
other weapons, following a raid on an apartment block in the centre of
Liverpool. A man has been charged with a number of offences
(Liverpool Echo, 13 May 2010).
Get Surrey,
12 May 2010
Two workers at a betting
shop in Weston Green, Surrey, were robbed at gunpoint. One
suspect had a hammer and the other carried what has been described as a
"suspected firearm". Police said it was not clear whether the
weapon was a genuine firearm or a replica.
Evening Chronicle,
12 May 2010
Eight people, including one
woman, have been arrested by police following an armed raid on a post
office in Longbenton, Tyneside. A firearm and a car were
being examined.
Coventry Telegraph,
12 May 2010
A man who followed a
delivery driver into a pub in Walsgrave, West Midlands,
threatened staff with a firearm and demanded they open the safe.
He stole a quantity of cash before fleeing the scene.
Birmingham Mail,
12 May 2010
Five youths from
Birmingham aged between 14 and 17 have admitted a charge of robbery
and one of them, aged 15, has also admitted possessing two
imitation firearms. They attacked
a teenage victim and filmed the attack in which his mobile was taken.
He was told to strip and a gun was put to his neck. The youths
were sentenced to detention of between two years and four years.
BBC,
12 May 2010
Two women were robbed at
gunpoint as they entered a house in Oxton, Wirral. The men
produced what are believed to be handguns and demanded their victim's
valuables. The men escaped with a small amount of cash and a
phone.
BBC,
12 May 2010 *
Rikesh Patel, 20, pleaded guilty
to three counts of section 47 assault. He admitted shooting three
children with an air rifle from the
balcony of his accommodation at the University of Wolverhampton.
His victims were a 12-year-old girl hit in the leg in April 2010 and two
boys aged 14 hit in the head and neck earlier this month. One of the
boys needed hospital treatment. Patel has been given three months'
custody, suspended for two years, and ordered to do 180 hours of unpaid
work. He was also given a curfew for four months (Express &
Star, 8 June 2010).
Yorkshire Evening Post,
11 May 2010
Two men threatened staff at
a bookies in Hunslet, West Yorkshire, with a gun. They fled
with a quantity of cash.
This is Local London,
11 May 2010
Two men with a gun
threatened staff at a shop in Chingford, north east London.
They were armed with a black handgun and demanded cash. They stole
cash and cigarettes before fleeing.
Northampton Chronicle &
Echo,
11 May 2010
A handgun, a
stun gun and 22 live rounds of
ammunition were found in a pub in Abington, Northampton, when it
was raided by the police. A sum of money was recovered. The
pub is likely to remain closed for at least the next four weeks (Northampton
Chronicle & Echo, 13 May 2010).
Luton Today,
11 May 2010
A man was shot at as he got
out of a taxi in front of a store in Luton, Bedfordshire.
The gunman missed and hit the door of the supermarket instead.
Police say the attack was "targeted".
Devon24,
11 May 2010
A man has been arrested on
suspicion of being found in possession of class B drugs and an
imitation firearm in Lympstone,
Devon.
Croydon Guardian,
11 May 2010
A 17-year-old has been
arrested for possession of a firearm after police split up a gang fight
in Norbury, south London. A loaded semi-automatic pistol
was found.
BBC,
11 May 2010
A man has been accused of
robbery, possession of an imitation firearm
and failing to supply a sample for drug testing and driving offences.
The charges follow an investigation into the theft of a car at gunpoint
in Small Heath, Birmingham.
BBC,
11 May 2010
A motorist who went to the
aid of a man lying in the road in Sinfin, Derby, and was robbed
of his car keys at gunpoint by two other men.
This is Nottingham,
10 May 2010
Timothy Sobers fired a gun
at three men who demanded a refund for some cannabis. The incident
happened at Sobers' house in St Ann's, Nottingham, in October
2009. The police were called by a member of the public who phoned
the police. Sobers pleaded guilty to possession of an
imitation firearm and supplying
cannabis. Sentencing has been deferred.
Surrey Comet,
10 May 2010
A pub in Surbiton,
south west London, which had its licence revoked when an antique
shotgun was found on the premises has
been allowed to re-open. The shotgun and ammunition were found in
an upstairs room.
East Anglian Daily Times,
10 May 2010
Two men armed with a gun
burst into a house in Clacton, Essex, and left a woman in a state
of shock. It is not thought anything was stolen. Two men
were later questioned by the police on suspicion of aggravated burglary
following a high-speed car chase.
BBC,
10 May 2010
Shots were fired in an armed
robbery at a hotel in Hyde, Greater Manchester. No-one was
injured. Police later arrested a woman and a man dressed in body
armour. A second man and a woman were arrested in one of the
bedrooms.
BBC,
10 May 2010
A man admitted to hospital
in April 2010 had been shot in the eye while gardening at his home in
Chorlton, Greater Manchester. It was thought that he had
suffered a stroke but a CT scan revealed an object lodged in his brain.
He has no memory of what happened. Police are looking into the
possibility that he could have been hit by a stray bullet.
BBC,
10 May 2010
A man has been arrested on
suspicion of being in possession of a firearm after reports that a man
had been seen carrying a firearm in a street in Strood, Kent.
This is Hampshire,
9 May 2010
Three men caught poaching
with a powerful air rifle on an
estate in Lymington, Hampshire, have admitted affray.
Punches had been thrown when they were surrounded by gamekeepers.
Aaron Barnes and Craig Daniels also admitted possessing the weapon
without a firearm certificate and both received ten-month suspended
sentences and were told to complete 150 hours unpaid work and must pay
compensation. Michael Shanley will be sentenced later.
Telegraph,
9 May 2010
A group of youths in
Hayling Island, Hampshire, claimed a man had threatened them with a
gun. Armed police responding to the incident found the man had
waved a walking stick at them and the stick had been mistaken for a
shotgun. The man has been warned not to carry the stick in the
same way in case it gave people the impression that it was a gun.
News Shopper,
9 May 2010
Ian Doherty was arrested
when police raided his house in Welling, south east London, in
January 2010 and found a loaded revolver and other weapons including a
ball bearing gun. He pleaded
guilty and was sentenced to five years in jail for possessing a firearm,
12 months for possessing ammunition and three years for possession of
cocaine with intent to supply, the sentences to be served consecutively.
BBC,
8 May 2010
A 15-year-old boy narrowly
missed losing an eye when he was shot in the face with an
airgun in Worsley Mesnes,
Greater Manchester. He was playing with friends at the time and
none of the boys saw who shot him.
This is Grimsby,
7 May 2010
Richard Finn of Grimsby,
Lincolnshire, was caught with an airgun in breach of a ban because of a
previous prison sentence. He admitted possessing of an
air rifle and breaching his Asbo the
same day by drinking in public. He was given a four-month
suspended sentence, a one-year supervision order and must pay costs.
Southport Visiter,
7 May 2010
Stewart Rimmer, 17, has
pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm while committing criminal damage
and possessing a prohibited weapon. He admitted the shooting.
He was on the back of a scrambler bike when shots were fired from a
submachine gun at a home in Huyton, Merseyside. He tried to
dispose of a gun in the River Mersey. Three others, Dean Malone,
19, Robin Vaughan, 20, and Jordan Smith, 18, were jailed in March after
they were discovered with a self-loading pistol inside a taxi.
Rimmer has been given and indefinite sentence and will serve a minimum
of five years. The pistol has been linked to six shootings in
Merseyside (Liverpool Echo, 27 May 2010).
Press Association,
7 May 2010
A man was shot dead in a
street in Tottenham, north London. Police were called after
reports of gun shots being fired and the victim was pronounced dead at
the scene. Two men, one aged 16, have been arrested over the
murder (BBC, 13 May 2010). The older man has been charged
with murder and the teenager has been released on bail (BBC, 15
May 2010).
Northern Echo,
7 May 2010
A youth is reported to have
entered the clubhouse of a rugby club in Newcastle carrying what
was believed to have been a small handgun. It is not known whether
if was genuine or an imitation weapon.
Birmingham Mail,
7 May 2010
A number of shots were fired
through the window of a flat in Sparkhill, Birmingham. The
householder was in at the time.
Runcorn and Widnes
Weekly News,
6 May 2010
A man tapped on the window
of a petrol station in Hallwood Park, Runcorn in Cheshire with a
metallic object which officers believe may have been a gun. He
shouted at the station worker inside but was foiled by a locked door and
made off.
Press Association,
6 May 2010
Noel Cunningham was in a
prison van which was transporting him to court and was ambushed by two
armed men in London in June 2003. He fled after the men
shot a driver and forced guards to open the cells of the vehicle.
The jury believed that he was party to the plan and he was found guilty
of having a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence,
possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear or violence and
wounding with intent to resist lawful apprehension. He will be
sentenced later.
Manchester Evening News,
6 May 2010
A man wearing a burka and
hijab tricked his way into a jewellers in Bury, Greater
Manchester, and when the door was opened three other men, one carrying a
shotgun, barged their way inside.
The gang stole a large amount of jewellery.
Huddersfield Daily
Express,
6 May 2010
Masked men brandishing a gun
and a crowbar raided a bank in Almondbury in Huddersfield, West
Yorkshire. They ordered staff to fill bags with cash before
fleeing. A reward of up to £50,000 has been offered for
information to the robbery (Huddersfield Daily
Express,
11 May 2010).
Express & Echo,
6 May 2010
A window was smashed on a
train waiting at Pinhoe station in Exeter. Police believe a
stone or air weapon was used.
Passengers later were forced to change trains.
East Anglian Daily Times,
6 May 2010
A woman was shot in the knee
near East Soham, Suffolk. It is understood that she was out
shooting pigeons and was accidentally shot by someone she was with who
was using a 12 bore shotgun.
The weapon was confiscated by the police while they carried out their
inquiries.
Waltham Forest Guardian,
5 May 2010
A teenager was shot in the
legs in a street in Chingford, north east London, during an
argument between a group of men. The victim was later arrested on
suspicion of possessing a firearm after a gun was found in his car.
Another teenager was also arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm.
Telegraph & Argus,
5 May 2010
A jewellers in Great
Horton, Bradford, was ram-raided by a gang of men armed with guns.
Two shots were fired. The raiders were armed with
shotguns (Telegraph & Argus, 6
May 2010).
Local Guardian,
5 May 2010
Two men held up a travel
agents with a handgun in West Wickham, south east London.
They fled with a bundle of cash.
Lancashire Telegraph,
5 May 2010
Wayne Lammond opened fire on
staff at a takeaway in Blackburn, Lancashire, in November 2008.
He demanded money from the till and fired pellets during the incident
but fled empty handed. He pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and
possession of an imitation firearm
and has been jailed for five years and four months.
East Anglian Daily Times,
5 May 2010
The post office in Capel
St Mary, Suffolk, has been targeted by an armed robber for the
second time in five days and for the fourth time in 18 months. In
the latest attack a man brandishing a handgun threatened staff and a
cashier while demanding money. They left with an amount of cash.
BBC,
5 May 2010
Two men armed with a handgun
burst into a post office in Droylsden, Greater Manchester, and
pointed the gun at a 10-year-old boy. The cashier set off the
alarm and the men ran off carrying a small amount of cash.
Yorkshire Post,
4 May 2010
David Large and Simon Mullen
have been found guilty of murdering Large's gay lover who was found shot
dead with a shotgun in a lay-by near
Clayton West, West Yorkshire, in September 2009 (see
Incidents).
Large paid Mullen thousands of pounds to carry out the killing.
Both men have been jailed for a minimum of 30 years.
Yorkshire Evening Post,
4 May 2010
A man, possibly armed with a
gun in a plastic bag, raided a bookmakers in Hyde Park, Leeds.
He grabbed a quantity of banknotes and coins before fleeing.
This is Local London,
4 May 2010
A man has been shot in a
garden in New Cross, south east London. Police found him
suffering from a gunshot wound to the head and he was pronounced dead at
the scene. The shooting took place in the same street where a man
was fatally shot in July 2009 (see
Incidents). Four teenagers have
been arrested (Press Association, 9 May 2010).
This is Gloucestershire,
4 May 2010
Jeffrey Warren brandished a
handgun in a street in Abbeymead, Gloucester, in February 2010
(see Incidents) during an altercation with another man. He was jailed for five
years after admitting the offence.
Sheffield Telegraph,
4 May 2010
Armed police surrounded a
flat on an estate in Middlewood, Sheffield, after a neighbourhood
dispute spiralled out of control. There were fears that there
might be a firearm in the property. A man was arrested but the
police would not confirm whether he was armed.
Richmond & Twickenham
Times,
4 May 2010
A teenager robbed a shop at
gunpoint in Hounslow, west London. He entered the
off-licence and pulled out a handgun and demanded cash.
Harrow Observer,
4 May 2010
Anthony Reid has admitted
conspiracy to supply cocaine and possession of a firearm with intent to
endanger life. A fully converted and loaded Mac-10 sub-machine gun
was found in a wardrobe in his children's bedroom in Friern Barnet,
north London. He was one of four men involved in a drug
distribution plan who have now been convicted.
Bedford Today,
4 May 2010
Two men threatened staff at
a bookmakers in Luton, Bedfordshire, with what appeared to be a
handgun. They left the shop with cash.
Northampton Chronicle &
Echo,
3 May 2010
A man allegedly fired
several shots inside his block of flats in the centre of Northampton.
A road was closed and residents were prevented from getting in or out of
surrounding flats for several hours. A man was arrested after a
siege which lasted over six hours. It is thought an
airgun might have been involved.
Manchester Evening News,
3 May 2010
Damon Brumell armed himself
with a gas-powered ball-bearing gun
after his nose was broken by a gang who had been harassing him.
The attack in Levenshulme, Greater Manchester, was not reported
to the police and when the gang confronted him again he produced the gun
and shot at them. His girlfriend Eleanor Foulkes, 19, called the
police but hid the weapon. Brumell was seen firing the gun
on CCTV. He has admitted possessing a firearm with intent to cause
fear of violence and has been jailed for a year, Foulkes received a
six-month suspended sentence for assisting an offender.
Liverpool Echo,
3 May 2010
A teenager pointed a gun at
a bus driver at a bus stop on his route in Huyton, Merseyside.
Another youth who was with him talked the gunman down and the driver
sped off.
Liverpool Daily Post,
3 May 2010
Armed robbers stole a van
from two men in Dovecot, Liverpool. The gang of three were
armed with a handgun, a knife and a wooden stick and ordered their
victims out of the parked vehicle. One of the victims required
hospital treatment for head injuries.
BBC, 2 May 2010
A man was in a stable
condition after being shot in the stomach as he left a barbers shop in
Brixton, south London. Two men had opened fire on him.
The Argus, 2 May 2010
A man was arrested on
suspicion of making threats to kill and two legally-held
shotguns were seized by the police
after officers called at an address in Ford, West Sussex.
They used a stun gun to restrain a man after he had threatened to shoot
someone.
This is Nottingham,
1 May 2010 *
A man carrying a suspected
gun walked into a store in Lowdham, Nottingham, and ordered staff
to hand over money. A man has appeared in court for allegedly
using an imitation handgun to carry
out this and a later robbery (see
June 2010 Incidents).
SCOTLAND
BBC, 31 May 2010
A 16-year-old youth has been
arrested and charged with alleged firearms and drugs offences. A
firearm, drugs and cash were recovered by police during a search in
Edinburgh.
stv, 28 May 2010
A gun was fired at a house
in Dalkeith, Midlothian. A bullet was recovered after the
shot damaged guttering on the house. None of its occupants were
injured.
BBC,
22 May 2010
A man arrived at a hospital
in Glasgow with a gunshot wound. The shooting may be linked
to an incident two hours earlier in which another man was hit by a car.
stv,
21 May 2010
A court has heard how the
victim of a fatal machete attack in Barrowfield, Glasgow, in August 2004
had been in the company of a man armed with a
sawn-off shotgun and had been vandalising a car outside the
home of the man who subsequently attacked him. This man had been
struck by pellets but not seriously injured after the gun was fired and
then gave chase before he hacked, slashed and stabbed the victim to
death. A man and his father have admitted culpable homicide.
The incident had followed a long-running feud and was sparked by a row
over dead racing pigeons.
Evening News,
21 May 2010
A man who said he found a
rucksack containing a sawn-off shotgun
and a pistol and four rounds of ammunition while riding his motorcycle
has admitted breaches of the Firearms Act. The guns were found in
a garden shed at Stuart Carson's home in Castlebrae Rigg,
Edinburgh, after a tip-off in October 2009.
BBC,
20 May 2010
Allan McCallum stole
paintball equipment worth more than £22,000 from a firm in
Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire, in August 2009 (see
Incidents).
The items included 160 guns, 700 gas grenades and 150 gas canisters.
He was caught in the street with one of the paintball guns. He has
been jailed for 14 months.
Border Telegraph,
19 May 2010
Robert Gregg from
Galashiels has pleaded guilty to being in possession of a
.177 air pistol and ammunition when he
was not allowed to do so having recently served a prison sentence.
BBC,
19 May 2010
A man held up a betting shop
in Uddingston, North Lanarkshire. He threatened two members
of staff with what appeared to be a firearm and fled with a four-figure
sum of cash.
BBC,
18 May 2010
Two men, one carrying a
firearm, escaped with hundreds of pounds after a raid on a petrol
station in Chryston, North Lanarkshire.
Paisley Daily Express,
14 May 2010
Armed police went to a tower
block in Paisley after a gunman was reported to be holed-up in a
flat. After a two hour stand-off a man agreed to give himself up.
It was revealed later that no gun had been found and the man had been
unarmed.
Kilmarnock Standard,
14 May 2010
A firearm was recovered from
an accountant's office in Stewarton, Ayrshire, during a fraud
investigation. The weapon was said to be a decommissioned rifle
that was being stored in the office as part of a house move. No
charges have been brought.
BBC,
13 May 2010 *
A man has been arrested at
Loch Venachar, near Callander in Perthshire, for a firearms offence
while camping. The arrest followed an incident involving an
airgun. He was charged with a
number of firearms offences and released on bail with the condition he
does not enter the National Park. A man has pleaded guilty and
been fined £750 (see July
2010 Incidents).
Evening News,
11 May 2010
A
sawn-off shotgun was found in undergrowth in Silverknowes,
Edinburgh, by a dog-walker on a litter pick. The area is close to
a community woodland regularly used as a play area by local children.
Scotsman,
7 May 2010
A package of 120 blank
cartridges was found by a rambler in undergrowth near a country path
between Carrick Castle and Ardentinny in Argyll. The
spot is near a munitions depot. The cartridges of the type used in
training by the military. The police are investigating.
BBC,
6 May 2010
Robert Jack has admitted
robbing a store in Carluke, South Lanarkshire, armed with an
air pistol in January 2010 (see
Incidents).
He also pleaded guilty to assaulting a man who confronted him as he
tried to flee the scene. His accomplice has never been identified.
Sentencing was deferred.
Paisley Daily Express,
4 May 2010
Armed police were placed on
alert after a teenager was seen in a street in Paisley carrying a
gun. The weapon was found to be a
ball-bearing pistol. No arrest was made.
WALES
Daily Post, 28 May 2010
A customer at a drive by
fast food restaurant in Broughton, Flintshire, fired a
BB gun at staff earlier this month.
Two victims were hit, one on the hand and the other on the upper arm.
The incident was described as "a prank which went horribly wrong".
Andrew Hallows admitted possessing the imitation firearm and assaulting
two members of staff and received a 12-week prison sentence (Flintshire
Chronicle, 24 June 2010).
South Wales Evening Post, 26 May 2010
A 16-year-old from
Llanelli, Dyfed, who admitted shooting an
air rifle at members of the public has been given a
conditional discharge. A man was hit in the head at the railway
station in January 2010 (see
Incidents). The air rifle will be destroyed.
Daily Mirror, 26 May 2010
*
Mike Hole has admitted child
cruelty and possession of a prohibited firearm. His teenage
stepson shot himself in the head at home in Newport, Gwent, in
March 2010 (see Incidents)
while posing for a photo with a loaded .25 Beretta pistol which Hole had
let him play with. He was jailed for five years (BBC, 18
June 2010). The boy
recovered.
Pontypridd Observer, 20 May 2010
Andrew Baker has been jailed
for six years after pleading guilty to false imprisonment and possessing
an imitation firearm and a firearm. During the incident at a house
in Glyncoch, Mid Glamorgan, in January 2010 he had asked another
man to fetch guns from his (Baker's) parents' house, and had held a
ball-bearing gun to the heads of both
the man and his 17-year-old daughter and also threatened them with an
air rifle. He also shot the
gun inside the house. When an armed police response unit arrived
he let his victims go but did not follow police instructions to put down
the gun and was tasered several times. Baker was taking diazepam
medication at the time and could not recall the details of the
incidents. He had a significant history of mental health issues.
BBC, 20 May 2010
*
A man was found with a gunshot wound in Llangollen,
Denbighshire. A firearm was recovered and was being forensically
examined. The circumstances of the incident were "still unclear"
but no-one was being sought as part of the investigation. The man
was in a serious condition in hospital after having surgery. The
man has said he tried to kill himself. He has admitted perverting
the course of justice and possessing a prohibited weapon (see
August 2010 Incidents).
BBC,
19 May 2010
Donatien Chamchawala,
described as a dangerous loner with a "real dislike" for sections of the
community and with an obsession with explosives, has been detained
indefinitely under the Mental Health Act. Counter terrorism police
discovered found two swords, a sawn-off shotgun,
a revolver, a machete and a bullet-proof vest at his home in
Blackwood, Caerphilly, Mid Glamorgan, and described his kitchen as being "akin to a
bomb-making factory" (see also
February 2010 Incidents).
Barry & District News,
13 May 2010
Armed police blocked off the
High Street in Barry, South Glamorgan, after reports of a
suspected gunman. Police later recovered an
imitation weapon. Two youths aged
14 and 15 were arrested and released on bail.
Western Telegraph,
6 May 2010
Mark Edwards from Hakin,
Pembrokeshire, threatened to "sort out" his ex-wife and her new partner
while loading a revolver with pellets and attaching gas canisters.
The gun was an imitation, an R77 Combat revolver.
The incident occurred in November 2009 (see
Incidents). He has been convicted
of possessing an imitation firearm with intent of making his mother fear
that violence would follow and of assaulting his mother by beating.
A restraining order was made without limit of time banning Edwards from
possessing a gun of any description or ammunition of any type.
INCIDENTS INVOLVING ANIMALS
Wisbech Standard,
28 May 2010
A ferret found by a member
of the public in Guyhirn, Cambridgeshire, last month had been
shot with an air weapon. He
had been shot in the side of his body and foot. He has now
recovered and the RSPCA are seeking a new home for him.
Press & Journal,
25 May 2010
A pet cat was shot with an
airgun in Peterhead,
Aberdeenshire. A metal pellet was embedded in her chest.
Ealing Gazette,
21 May 2010
A woman from West Ealing,
west London, claims police officers shot her dog as they dragged her
boyfriend out onto the street. The woman had called the police
after a man had earlier come to her door and threatened that he would
come back with others and a gun. The police arrived after the man
had gone and put her boyfriend in handcuffs, following which she heard
gun shots. When she was let back into the house she found 13
bullets and shots had damaged her radiators and walls. She says
the police have admitted they killed the dog. The police say they
were told a gunman was in the house.
Looe Today,
21 May 2010
A cat has been shot dead
with an airgun wound in Liskeard,
Cornwall. Her owner found her lying on her neighbour's drive.
Bexhill-on-Sea Observer,
20 May 2010
Two gulls have been
discovered shot in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex. One died
within hours and the other survived but will never fly again. The
police were expecting to make an arrest. The bird that died had
been shot with a .22 air rifle
pellet which smashed the wing and went deep into the body.
BBC,
18 May 2010
A nesting moorhen was shot
dead at a wildlife haven at Earlswood Lakes, Surrey. The
bird had been shot twice with an airgun.
A £500 reward has been offered.
Lancashire Telegraph,
14 May 2010
Two cats belonging to the
same family in Lower Darwen, Lancashire, have been left injured
following airgun attacks. Vets
have said that it would be too dangerous to remove the pellets which
have lodged inside the pets.
Kent Online,
14 May 2010
A family cat has had to be
put down after being shot at close range with an
airgun in Sittingbourne, Kent.
An X-ray revealed a pellet had damaged the small intestine and entered
the bladder and although she had surgery to repair the damage she later
took a turn for the worse.
Messenger,
13 May 2010
A pet cat was shot in the
neck with air rifle in
Ashton-on-Mersey, Greater Manchester. He was found slumped by
the back door of his home and found to have a sizeable pellet wound.
A .22 airgun pellet was removed during an emergency operation.
This is Hull and East
Riding,
8 May 2010
A cat rescued from a house
on an estate in east Hull had been shot three times with an
airgun. One pellet was removed
from a lump in her stomach and two other pellets were found.
Rye & Battle Observer,
7 May 2010
Five gulls have been shot
with an air rifle in Willingdon
Trees, East Sussex, this year. National Gull Rescue and
Protection is appealing for witnesses. Local residents have been
upset when they have seen the dead gulls in their neighbourhood.
Evening Post
(Bristol),
6 May 2010
A cat found near
Thornbury, Bristol, who had been seen wandering the streets had been
blinded in an airgun attack. A
vet has had to remove any eye. A pellet was found lodged in the
orbit having gone through the eye.
Fakenham & Wells Times,
5 May 2010
Inspectors at an RSPCA
centre fear that ducks are being used as airgun
targets following a series of attacks in North Creake, Norfolk.
It is claimed that half a dozen ducks have been shot in the area during
the last few months including two this month, one of which was killed.
Express & Star,
4 May 2010
A pet cat was shot several
times in the back garden of the family home in Bentley, West
Midlands. Another cat belonging to the family had been shot dead
in a similar attack in 2008. After the latest shooting the cat is
fighting for her life after airgun
pellets punctured her intestine.
Gazette & Herald,
3 May 2010
A cat has been targeted with
an airgun in Calne,
Wiltshire. A pellet which had lodged against her spine was pulled
out by her owners but there is a chance that the wound could become
infected.
Weston, Worle & Somerset
Mercury, 1 May 2010
A cat which had been missing
for two days turned up slumped on a neighbour's lawn in
Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. He had been shot with an
air rifle and is lucky to have escaped
with his life. The bill for the removal of the pellet from his
small intestine is at least £500.
