JULY 2009
We prepare
a monthly summary of gun incidents, focussing on those that raise key
issues about the nature of gun crime and the adequacy of gun legislation.
Items that have been amended or added to the list since the
Summary was written are marked (*).
We are grateful to all the correspondents
who contacted us about incidents this month
ENGLAND
This is Total Essex,
31 July 2009
Two men who were spotted with
a long-barrel firearm in a stolen car in Nine Ashes, Essex, ditched
the car with the loaded gun inside.
This is Kent,
31 July 2009
Kiane Trotman, a former
soldier, terrified an ex-girlfriend by firing an
air rifle into the car she was in. He pleaded guilty to
charges of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and
damaging property. His current girlfriend Emily Hughes who denied
the charges has since been convicted. Trotman was jailed for
two-and-a-half years, Hughes awaits sentence. The shooting incident
took place in Borough Green, Kent, in December 2007.
Romford Recorder,
31 July 2009
A police raid was sparked on a
housing estate in Romford, Essex, when a man with a
BB gun was seen by a member of the
public. A man was arrested but later released without charge.
Kent Online,
31 July 2009
A delivery driver was robbed
at gunpoint after taking a meal to a house in New Ash Green, Kent.
The robber demanded cash. According to police it was not clear if
the gun was real or an imitation firearm.
Evening Gazette,
31 July 2009
Gerald Schouller fired an
airgun at a car driven by a young woman
in Billingham, Teesside, in February 2009. He had been in an
intoxicated state at the time and was caught at the scene. He
pleaded guilty to criminal damage being reckless as to whether life is
endangered and having an imitation firearm in a public place. He has
been jailed for two years.
Bury Free Press,
31 July 2009
A woman who shot a man with an
airgun, ruining his modelling career
has been given a nine month suspended prison sentence and ordered to pay
£300 compensation. Donna Simpson was convicted of wounding with
intent to cause grievous bodily harm and possessing an imitation firearm
with intent to cause fear of violence. Her husband, who was also
convicted, was given the same suspended jail sentence and must obey a two
year supervision order. The shooting happened in Dagenham,
east London, in October 2008 after the couple claimed the victim's dog had
frightened their cat.
This is Derbyshire,
30 July 2009
A man found in an alleyway in
Allestree, Derby, had died as a result of a single gunshot wound to
the chest. A firearm was recovered from the scene. Police are
not treating the death as suspicious.
Tamworth Herald,
30 July 2009
Christopher Stephens has been
found guilty of causing actual bodily harm to a 14-year-old boy in
Glascote, Staffordshire. He produced an
airgun after he'd asked a group of youths to 'move on' and
fired it at close range. The victim received a wound to his head.
Stephens was jailed for 30 months.
South London Press,
30 July 2009
A 12-year-old girl has been
shot in the leg with an airgun or
BB gun. She was playing in a
park in Streatham, south London, at the time of the attack which
involved two teenage boys.
BBC,
30 July 2009
Scott Walker has been jailed
for five years for shooting a man in the eye with an
air pistol. He was involved in a
row with the 19-year-old victim in Leyland, Lancashire, in
September 2008 (see Incidents).
The victim subsequently lost his eye. Walker pleaded guilty to
possessing an offensive weapon.
BBC,
30 July 2009 *
Guy Button has admitted six
firearms offences. He pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and
ammunition and transferring a firearm to his father Ian. Ian Button
shot himself dead on a hospital ward in Northampton in October 2008
(see Incidents).
Guy Button took a bag containing a Second World War handgun and other gun
parts and a total of 19 rounds of ammunition to his father (Northampton
Chronicle & Echo, 31 July 2009). He has been jailed for
three years (Press Association, 4 September 2009). An inquest
has found that his father shot himself in the head "when the balance of
his mind was disturbed" (BBC, 28 January 2010).
Wilts and
Gloucestershire Standard,
29 July 2009
Two teenagers have been
arrested for assaults and possession of an imitation firearm after members
of the public were shot at with a BB gun
in Cirencester, Gloucestershire. Two victims were left with
red marks on their neck and back.
Telegraph & Argus,
29 July 2009
Daniel Booth shot a teenager
with a ball-bearing gun at a bus stop
in Baildon, West Yorkshire, in November 2008. The victim, who
still has a pellet lodged in his neck, was hit in the leg and thigh as
well as the neck, and the bus shelter glass was shattered. Booth was
convicted of unlawful wounding and also found guilty of possessing an
imitation firearm with intent to commit an offence. He has been
jailed for three years.
Telegraph,
29 July 2009 *
A man seen with a handgun at
Gatwick Airport was disabled by police using a
Taser gun. He was arrested and
taken into custody. He has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm
with intent to cause fear of violence (see
December 2009 Incidents).
Reading Evening Post,
29 July 2009
Jaroslaw Trzcinski was one of
three men who stole £10,000 from a jewellers in Reading in April
2008. The men used a gun, which was never recovered but was said by
the raiders to be an imitation, to intimidate the shopkeeper.
Trzcinski was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to
robbery and possession of an imitation firearm
with intent to commit an indictable offence. He has lost an appeal
to reduce the sentence.
Mirror,
29 July 2009 *
A landlord has died after
being shot outside a pub in Bilston, West Midlands. He was
dead on arrival at hospital. The victim had broken up a row.
Eight people, including a 17-year-old boy, have been charged with murdering the victim (BBC,
3
August 2009).
London Informer,
29 July 2009
A gang of five men has been
jailed for bringing a gun onto a street in Pimlico, central London.
John Hernandez, Lema Nsimba and Silvino Domingos were all sentenced to
seven years in prison. Two men who admitted the charge, Anthony
Adalumo and Ousalnov Leone were sentenced to five years and three months
and five years, respectively.
Liverpool Echo,
29 July 2009
Three men all deny charges of
blackmail, unlawful imprisonment, assault and possession of an
imitation firearm. The charges
stem from an alleged incident at garages in Bootle, Liverpool, in
December 2008 when a car salesman had a gun rammed into his mouth.
Dorset Echo,
29 July 2009
A man walking his dog in
Weymouth, Dorset, was hit on the side of his head, just above his eye
with an airgun pellet. There has
been a recent spate of seagull shootings in the area.
BBC,
29 July 2009 *
A
shotgun was fired during an attempted robbery at a post office
in Thorney Wood, Nottingham. Two men threatened two members
of staff with a knife and gun but fled empty handed. A £5,000 reward
has been offered for information which helps catch the men (BBC, 16
September 2009).
Sky News,
28 July 2009
A man has died in hospital
after he was found seriously injured in a car parked in a street in New
Cross, south east London. Residents had reported hearing
gunshots. The incident is being investigated by Operation Trident.
Northampton Chronicle
& Echo,
28 July 2009
Two men turned away from a
nightclub in Northampton in February 2009 returned later armed with
a stun gun and a knuckleduster.
Amir Uddin has admitted purchasing, transferring and possessing a
prohibited weapon. Aninash Gowereesunkar pleaded guilty to
possessing the weapon and having an offensive weapon in a public place.
They were told to prepare for possible prison sentences.
BBC,
28 July 2009
A passer-by chased away two
would-be robbers, who were armed with a gun, from a post office in
Ewell, Surrey. The raiders fled empty handed.
BBC,
28 July 2009
Two men armed with a handgun
confronted a community group of about 30 people in the Gipton area
of Leeds. They stole "a substantial amount of cash".
The Argus,
28 July 2009
Peter Lines pretended to have
a gun when he robbed a building society branch in Bexhill, Sussex,
of £2000. The weapon was a can of deodorant covered with a sock.
He admitted charges of robbery and possessing an
imitation firearm and was given an indeterminate prison
sentence for public protection.
Skegness Standard,
27 July 2009
A man was arrested in
Skegness, Lincolnshire, after someone had been seen carrying a handgun
in the street. During the subsequent search a large bag of
controlled drugs was seized where the man was arrested. A weapon was
found when police searched an address.
Northern Echo,
27 July 2009
A man robbed a social club in
South Bank, Teesside, while brandishing what appeared to be a black
handgun. He escaped with a quantity of money.
Birmingham Mail,
27 July 2009
A road in Willenhall,
West Midlands, was closed off by police after reports that a firearm had
been discharged. A man was taken to hospital after being shot in the
leg. His condition was described as stable (BBC, 27 July
2009).
BBC,
27 July 2009
A man has been arrested
following a shooting outside a pub in Bristol which resulted in
another man being taken to hospital with a leg injury.
BBC,
27 July 2009
A 14-year-old boy was shot in
the leg in Croxteth, Liverpool. His injuries are not
life-threatening. Four teenagers, aged between 15 and 19 and an
older man have been arrested and a firearm has been recovered.
This is Derbyshire,
26 July 2009
A man was arrested after a
replica gun was fired in front of two police community support officers in
Allenton, Derby. The weapon was described as a
pellet gun. A man was arrested on
suspicion of possessing an imitation firearm.
This is Hampshire,
25 July 2009
A man went into a store in
Andover, Hampshire, brandishing a BB gun
and was said to have been abusive to staff. He was
arrested on suspicion of being in possession of an imitation firearm with
the intention to cause fear of violence.
The News,
25 July 2009
Andrew Bennett has appeared in
court after an attack on his mother at their home in Fareham,
Hampshire. The attack took place when he was under 'considerable
strain" after he had been arrested by the police for carrying a
ball-bearing gun, as a result of which he had been expelled
from college.
BBC,
25 July 2009
A man from Mawsley,
Northamptonshire, has been charged with firearms offences following the
finding of a pistol, silencer and ammunition in a car earlier this year.
BBC,
25 July 2009 *
Staff at a bar in
Withington, Manchester, were threatened with
shotguns during a robbery. Three men armed with two
shotguns and a knife stole money and personal items. One man has
admitted two counts of robbery and possessing an
imitation firearm and been jailed (see
December 2009 Incidents).
This is Local London,
24 July 2009
A teenager suffered a puncture
wound to his chest caused by an air rifle
after being shot in Bromley, south London. He was taken
by air ambulance to hospital where his injuries were described as non-life
threatening.
Northern Echo,
24 July 2009
Police discovered a haul of
weapons, including an air rifle and an
air pistol, and drugs at a property in
Hartlepool. A man, a woman and a 15-year-old boy were
arrested on suspicion of possessing class B drugs.
Liverpool Echo,
24 July 2009
Shots were fired in Huyton,
Merseyside, in an incident involving a car and one or two motorbikes.
A parked car was hit by one of the bullets.
East Anglian Daily
Times,
24 July 2009
Six
shotguns and ammunition were stolen during a burglary on a
house in Rumburgh, Suffolk. A gun cabinet was pulled from the
wall and stolen. Two antique figurines were also stolen.
Police are investigating whether there are links to two teenagers who were
arrested after reports someone had discharged weapons from a vehicle in
Ilketshall St Andrew. A shotgun
and shotgun cartridges were discovered when firearms officers stopped the
vehicle.
Evening Standard,
24 July 2009
Andrew Baugh from
Whitechapel, east London, admitted possessing an
imitation firearm with intent to cause
fear of violence has been warned he faces prison. He aimed a
"gun-shaped" bag, which actually contained a tow bar, at a clamper and
said he didn't want to shoot him.
Bury Free Press,
24 July 2009
An
air pistol was stolen from the home of an elderly couple
following a distraction burglary in Stowlangtoft, Suffolk.
BBC,
24 July 2009
Police seized drugs, cash and
two stun guns from two properties in
Anchorsholme, Lancashire. Two men and two women were
arrested. A teenage woman and a man were charged with possession of
a section 5 firearm.
BBC,
24 July 2009
Another man has been shot and
seriously injured in a shooting in Clapham, south London. His
condition is reported to be serious but not life threatening.
BBC,
24 July 2009
A man has been arrested on
suspicion of possessing a firearm after an operation lasting three hours
in Cropwell Bishop, Nottinghamshire.
West Sussex Gazette,
23 July 2009
A man has been arrested on
suspicion of assault and making threats to kill after sparking a police
alert in Worthing, Sussex. There were reports that a man had
a gun in what police described as a "domestic incident".
Tameside Advertiser,
23 July 2009
A security guard at a bank in
Hyde, Greater Manchester, foiled three men armed with guns by
locking himself inside. The gang made off empty-handed.
The Star,
23 July 2009
The home of a 90-year-old man
in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, has been targeted by someone with a
high velocity air rifle. A
window was broken. Windows in neighbouring properties have also been
broken recently.
Middleton Guardian,
23 July 2009
Junior Obeng has been jailed
for three years for blackmailing three brothers and threatening them with
a gun. The threats were made following a brawl in a bar in
Middleton, Greater Manchester. He pleaded guilty to one count of
blackmail and one count of possession of an
imitation firearm.
Hartlepool Mail,
23 July 2009 *
An 18-year-old man has been
charged after a taxi driver was robbed at gunpoint in Hartlepool.
Detectives recovered a ball-bearing gun
at the scene. A teenager has been sent to young offenders'
institution after admitting robbery and possessing an imitation firearm
(see November 2009 Incidents).
BBC,
23 July 2009
Thames Valley Police has
pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety rules after a weapons
instructor, accidentally shot a civilian worker during firearms awareness
training in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, in May 2007 (see
Incidents).
The victim was badly injured by the shot from a Magnum revolver. The
instructor has denied breaking safety rules.
BBC,
23 July 2009
A man was shot in the arm in
Croxteth, Merseyside. Two men on a scrambler bike were seen
riding away from the scene. An 18-year-old has been arrested.
BBC,
23 July 2009
A
12-bore Sarasqueta side by side shotgun was stolen during a
burglary at a property in Fishtoft, Lincolnshire.
This is Derbyshire,
22 July 2009
A man has been arrested on
suspicion of attempted robbery after a handgun was allegedly used in an
incident in Derby. Two men broke into a house and threatened
a resident.
The Star,
22 July 2009
A man has appeared in court
after he allegedly sparked an armed police alert with a fake gun in
Hillsborough, Sheffield. He was charged with possessing an
imitation firearm with intent to cause
fear of violence.
Press Association,
22 July 2009
A man suffered minor injuries
when he was shot in the head with an airgun
pellet in Soho, central London. He was treated at
the scene.
Harrow Observer,
22 July 2009
Armed police were called to a
street in Stanmore, north west London, where a man allegedly ran
around naked with a fake gun. He
was detained after being subdued with a Taser
on suspicion of affray, exposure and possession of an imitation
firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
Guardian,
22 July 2009
A 13-year-old girl was
questioned by police after a suspected machine gun was found in her
bedroom in Croydon, south London. A 19-year-old man was
arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm. According to the
police the weapon was a replica. A 17-year-old has also been
arrested (Croydon Guardian, 23 July 2009).
BBC,
22 July 2009
A customer was injured in the
leg during a raid on a bank in Rowley Regis, West Midlands.
Three men, one carrying a handgun, walked in and demanded money. A
dye pack inside a cash box they were given exploded as they left.
BBC,
22 July 2009
Police in Darlington
have condemned the "indiscriminate" use of air
weapons after being called out to more than 90 incidents since
January. The number of incidents was significantly higher than
usual.
BBC,
22 July 2009
A firearm was discharged
during an altercation in Basingstoke, Hampshire. Officers
believe that an 18-year-old man was threatened by two other men who fired
a shot as they fled.
Telegraph & Argus,
21 July 2009
John West, who has been jailed
for stealing copper wire, has received a further six months for illegally
possessing an air rifle at his home in
East Bowling, Bradford. The weapon when was used to shoot
vermin and rabbits, was found when police searched the property.
BBC,
21 July 2009
Two men were shot in
Clapham, south London. One man was taken away from the scene in
an ambulance and a second man later arrived at hospital with gunshot
wounds. Neither of the men is in a life-threatening condition.
This is Wiltshire,
20 July 2009
A man who carried out an
attack with a stun gun, claimed to be
an electric cattle prod, on a friend's former boyfriend has been jailed
for 21 months. Robin Gage attacked his victim in the street in
Dilton Marsh, Wiltshire, in April 2009. He pleaded guilty to one
count of actual bodily harm.
Sunderland Echo,
20 July 2009
A man was shot in the head as
he made his way home in Sunderland. The victim was taken to
hospital where an airgun pellet was
removed from his skull.
Hertfordshire Mercury,
20 July 2009
Lee Hornett stole a car at
gunpoint in Little Hadham, Hertfordshire, after accusing the driver
of cutting him up. He initially stole the victim's keys but returned
carrying what looked like a gun and drove off in the car. Police
found a discarded BB gun belonging to
one of Hornett's two companions and the stolen car and traced the three
men. Hornett admitted robbery and possessing an imitation firearm.
He was jailed for three years.
Ealing Gazette,
20 July 2009
A man appeared in court
accused of possessing a firearm and making threats to kill following an
incident in Ealing, west London. His arrest followed reports
that a man was threatening and harassing another man with an
airgun. The incident was alleged to
be a landlord-tenant dispute.
Derby Evening
Telegraph,
20 July 2009
Stephen Bramwell has admitted
two offences of possessing an air rifle
without a firearms certificate, three charges of possessing ammunition
without a firearms certificate and two counts of possessing missiles
without the authority of the Secretary of State. In 2004 police had
found 11 prohibited firearms and some ammunition at his home in
Tideswell, Derbyshire, and he had been given a six-month suspended
jail sentence. Bramwell claimed that the air rifles had been handed
back to him by the police after the 2004 search. After the case the
police said that one of the air rifles did not exceed the legal power
limit when tested in 2004 but did when it was tested again in 2008 and
this suggested that someone had tampered with the gun in the intervening
four years. Bramwell was given a two-year conditional discharge for
the gun offences and an 18-month community order, with supervision from
the probation service, for the ammunition.
BBC,
20 July 2009
A man was in a serious
condition in hospital after being shot in the back at his home in
Sunderland. His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
BBC,
20 July 2009
A bar worker at a pub in
Toxteth, Liverpool was shot in both legs in what police believe was a
targeted attack. The victim was taken to hospital where his injuries
were not thought to be life-threatening.
BBC,
20 July 2009
Cash, drugs and a taser
stun gun were seized by police during a
raid in Sittingbourne, Kent. Two men were arrested.
BBC,
19 July 2009
Jonathan Cock has pleaded
guilty to murdering his ex-girlfriend's father and wounding her mother.
He shot them at their home in Porth Kea, Cornwall, in September
2008 (see Incidents).
He used a .22 calibre rifle with 15 rounds of ammunition stolen from his
father. He turned the gun on himself but the shot did not kill him
and he drove home. He must serve at least 25 years before being
considered for parole for the murder and a concurrent four year sentence
for wounding the murder victim's wife. He was also given an
indeterminate sentence for public protection for possession of a firearm
with intent to endanger life.
BBC,
19 July 2009 *
Four teenagers have been
arrested and a gun seized after shots were fired in Lostwithiel,
Cornwall. A 12-bore shotgun was
found hidden in a hedge and an ammunition belt and spent cartridges were
also found. Three cars were damaged in the incident. A
19-year-old has been sent to a young offenders' institution for 16 months
after pleading guilty (see
November 2009 Incidents).
Leicester Mercury,
18 July 2009
Vincent Murby marched down a
street in Loughborough, Leicestershire, and pointed his
air rifle at shocked bystanders in March
2009 (see Incidents).
He had been drinking heavily. He has admitted possessing a firearm
with intent to cause fear of violence and been jailed for three years.
BBC,
18 July 2009
Two people have been shot and
wounded in an incident involving armed police in Leyton, east
London. Police were called after shots were fired and one man was
wounded. The second man was shot by police after a vehicle thought
to be connected was stopped. Neither man's injuries are life
threatening. One man has been arrested and a loaded firearm has been
recovered.
The Visitor,
17 July 2009
Dean Marshall has pleaded
guilty to possession of an imitation firearm in a public place. He
was brandishing an imitation Colt 45 revolver
on the Lancaster and Morecambe cycle track in Lancashire in
June 2009. He was arrested after a witness took a picture him on his
mobile phone. He was ordered to complete a 12-month community order
with 100 hours unpaid work. The forfeiture and destruction of the
firearm was ordered.
Lancashire Evening
Post,
17 July 2009
Two men have been charged with
possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life following a shooting
incident in Preston, Lancashire, in which two shots were fired from
a handgun by the occupants of a car. Nobody was injured.
Evening Gazette,
17 July 2009
Anthony Kerr has been given a
six month suspended prison sentence after being found in possession of a
stun gun and a quantity of drugs which
were found at his previous address in Middlesbrough in November
2008. He pleaded guilty to possession of both the weapon and the
drugs.
BBC,
17 July 2009
A man was shot in the stomach
on the doorstep of his house in Edgbaston, Birmingham. His
injuries are not thought to be life threatening and he is said to be in a
serious but stable condition (Birmingham Mail, 18 July 2009).
BBC,
17 July 2009
A man was shot dead as he
arrived to hold football training on a playing field in West Wickham,
south London. The victim was shot at least six times by a man who
escaped on a bike. A man has been arrested (BBC, 31 July
2009).
Teletext,
16 July 2009
A man was arrested and
received a police caution after a sniper with a
BB gun fired a shot through a council building in Yarmouth,
Norfolk.
The News,
16 July 2009
A man arrested in April 2009
at his home in Clanfield, Hampshire, on suspicion of possessing an
air weapon to cause fear and violence
has been rebailed.
Mail,
16 July 2009
A man in full camouflage gear
fired shots at a group of Norwegians who had come to view a crop circle
near Devizes, Wiltshire. A member of the group called the
police who arrested the man. Others claimed that he had simply been
shooting at pigeons.
inLoughborough,
16 July 2009
Sean Waldron has been
sentenced to 11 years imprisonment after an assault and firearm offences.
The firearm was found by police officers during a routine vehicle stop
after they had followed a car through Leicester in October 2008.
A 9mm self loading pistol was found hidden under the passenger seat.
Waldron also received sentences for drug offences and for possession of
ammunition.
Crosby Herald,
16 July 2009
Two men, Adam Bedford and Ian
O'Neill, have pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of an imitation firearm. They made off
with the takings at a store in Waterloo, Merseyside, in February
2009 after threatening the store assistant with a
ball bearing gun. Bedford received
a two year sentence and O'Neill, who with three other people whose
identities are still unknown to the authorities, terrified staff members
with a string of robberies using an imitation gun, was sentenced to four
years' imprisonment and given an extra two years for the protection of the
public to run concurrently (Crosby Herald, July 30 2009).
Cambridge News,
16 July 2009
Daniel Crow, a serial thief,
threatened staff at a cinema in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, with an
imitation gun in January 2009 (see
Incidents). He
has pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and has been given four years in
prison with two years extended licence.
BBC,
16 July 2009
A man was shot in the head,
face and chest in an attack at a kebab shop in Woodside Green,
south London. The victim is in hospital.
Warrington Guardian,
14 July 2009 *
A former police officer from
Orford, Warrington, who admitted affray and possession of a CS gas
canister, had two other counts of possession of an
airgun with intent to cause fear of
violence and theft dropped. Anthony Saddler had brandished a gun and
a knife at a man when trying to teach him a "lesson". In November
2008 he asked the man to his home and produced a flick knife and a
gun. He had been drinking at the time. When the police arrived
they found the gun and knife underneath his car and the CS gas in his
house. He was given a 40-week suspended sentence and a two-year
supervision order
(This is Cheshire,
9 October 2009).
This is Wiltshire,
14 July 2009
A 15-year-old shot himself in
the hand with an air rifle while he
was out rat-catching on a farm near Melksham, Wiltshire. He
was treated in hospital where the pellet was removed from his hand.
Evening Telegraph,
14 July 2009
Two boys were shot with a
BB gun in a drive by shooting in
Kettering, Northamptonshire. One of the boys received slight
bruising to the arm.
Norwich Evening News,
14 July 2009
Mark Lester has admitted
possession of an imitation firearm, a BB gun
with intent to commit a robbery. In March 2008 (see
Incidents) he attempted to rob a
store in Hellesdon, Norwich. He believed he had dreamt the
robbery but discovered it was real when his mother spotted him on CCTV.
During the incident Lester, who suffers from black-outs as a result of a
medical condition, held a gun to a staff member's head. She and the
other staff managed to lock themselves in a back room and Lester escaped
empty handed. He has been given a one-year suspended sentence and
been ordered to complete a supervision order which will include mental
health treatment (Norwich Evening News, 5 September 2009).
Wood & Vale,
13 July 2009
Two teenagers were shot on an
estate in St John's Wood, north west London. A third teenager
was pistol whipped in the attack. None of the victims' injuries are
believed to be life threatening.
South London Press,
13 July 2009
A woman was robbed at gunpoint
in a garden in Streatham, south London. She was confronted by
three men who escaped through the garden.
Herald (East
Herts),
13 July 2009
Three women who were taken
hostage in an armed siege in Stanstead Abbotts, Hertfordshire,
(see May 2008 Incidents)
are
to receive a police commendation for their bravery. They were taken
hostage by Nigel Harper who in October 2008 was jailed for false
imprisonment, possession of an imitation firearm
and two charges of possessing knives.
Cambridge News,
13 July 2009
Three betting shops have been
targeted in Cambridge in four days by an armed robber. The
man held staff at gunpoint.
Cambridge News,
13 July 2009
Matthew Mortlock has been
jailed for possessing a Spectre machine gun and a loaded Sig Sauer pistol
he claimed to have used in developing a "bomb-proof blanket" for the
Ministry of Defence. Police found the weapons in a wardrobe at his
home in Coton, Cambridgeshire. He was given a 16-month
sentence, half of which will be served in jail and half under licence.
He had pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing prohibited weapons and
one of possessing ammunition without a firearms certificate.
BBC,
13 July 2009
Femi Forde and Richard Osborne
have been convicted of the murder of a man who was shot in the head and
shoulder at a barber's shop in Harlesden, north west London, in
April 2008 (see Incidents).
Two teenagers were acquitted of murder and another man was cleared of
assisting offenders. Forde was jailed for a minimum of 30 years.
Osborne was also given a minimum sentence of 30 years (BBC, 15 July 2009).
Witney Gazette,
12 July 2009
David Harrison from Banbury,
Oxfordshire, was jailed for 10 weeks after admitting possession of an
air weapon when prohibited for five years
and possessing ammunition for an air weapon.
BBC,
12 July 2009
A bingo hall worker was shot
after confronting two youths on a motorbike in Dovecot, Liverpool.
He was struck by one of four shots fired by the passenger.
BBC,
12 July 2009
A man attempted to rob a
building society in Bristol but fled when staff activated an alarm.
He had told them he had a gun.
Yorkshire Evening Post,
11 July 2009
Lutel Williams has been sent
to a Young Offender Institution for five years after police found a
sawn-off shotgun, a pistol and
ammunition at his home in Richmond Hill, Leeds. The weapons
and ammunition were hidden in the airing cupboard. He was dealing
drugs to try to pay a drug debt and was threatened and told to keep the
guns. He admitted three drugs charges and two counts of possessing a
firearm and one of possessing ammunition.
Manchester Evening
News,
11 July 2009
A man has been arrested on
suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder after a gun was fired outside a
pub in Beswick, Manchester. No one was injured in the
incident and no gun has been found.
The Argus,
11 July 2009
A man is on trial accused of
being involved in a £60,000 armed robbery in Hove, Sussex, in
September 2008. He denies robbery and possessing a firearm or
imitation firearm with intent to commit robbery.
Swindon Advertiser,
10 July 2009
Two men have been warned that
they face jail after they pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing an
imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
James Deegan, 18, provided the weapon for Dean Casey who confronted a man
and a woman and held the weapon to the man's neck and the woman's head.
The incident took place in Penhill, Swindon, in March 2009.
The men have been released on conditional bail.
Knaresborough Post,
10 July 2009
Carl Hullah and Sean Morrison
have pleaded guilty to robbing a store and a building society branch in
Harrogate, north Yorkshire, using an
imitation handgun. The robberies took place in January
2009 (see Incidents)
and February 2009 (see
Incidents). They were each sentenced to six years
imprisonment.
Diss Express,
10 July 2009
A shopper was shocked to see a
rifle lying across the back seat of a car parked at a supermarket in
Diss, Norfolk. Police seized two air
rifles and are waiting for the Crown Prosecution to decide
whether the case will go to court.
BBC,
10 July 2009
Kirk Richards fired five shots
with a converted Baikal pistol at a man in a barber's shop in Norwood,
south London, in October 2008 (see Incidents). The victim was a love
rival and was shot in the chest, arm and back. Richards was given an
indeterminate sentence and must serve 15 years.
BBC,
10 July 2009
Police went to a street in
Rochdale, Greater Manchester, after reports a man had been shot and
found a victim with gunshot wounds to his leg. A second man with
gunshot wounds to his hand was later discovered at a hospital in
Lancashire. A man has been charged with attempted murder (BBC,
15 July 2009).
BBC,
10 July 2009
Two robbers threatened a
security guard with a firearm before taking thousands of pounds in cash in
a robbery at a supermarket in Maidstone, Kent.
BBC,
10 July 2009
A gang who produced firearms
stole an amount of money from an off licence in Nottingham.
They threatened staff with a gun.
BBC,
10 July 2009
A man was shot and killed with
an automatic weapon at close range as he lay on the ground. The
murder took place in a car park in Chadderton, Greater Manchester.
The victim died from multiple gunshot wounds.
BBC,
10 July 2009
Two men have been convicted of
the murder of a man in Netherley, Merseyside in November 2006 (see
Incidents).
Eusop Milne, who used two guns to murder his victim has been sentenced to
a minimum of 36 years in jail. His accomplice Paul Simons was jailed
for 28 years. The victim was shot three times. Milne was also
convicted of the attempted murder of another man in Coventry six
weeks before the murder in October 2006 (see
Incidents).
Sidmouth Herald,
9 July 2009
A shoplifter who stole a
BB gun from a shop in Sidmouth,
Devon, was fined £80 by police.
MK News,
9 July 2009
A 15-year-old has been
arrested following a firearms incident outside a school in Bletchley,
Buckinghamshire. A BB gun was
recovered.
Lancaster Guardian,
9 July 2009
A man shot with a
BB gun in Lancaster in 2008 says
he will sue the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust after a
lead pellet was found in his skull a year later. In December 2008
Matthew Hunt was sentenced to 12 months in a Young Offenders Institution
after being charged with possession of an imitation firearm and assault.
Kenilworth Weekly News,
9 July 2009
Three men have been given
six-month suspended sentences and 180 hours of unpaid work after an
incident in Warwick in December 2008.
Christopher Edwards was in his flat when he asked the other two men, who
were in the street, to be quiet but then pointed his
air rifle out of the window and threw a
vase at them. This led to the other men breaking into his flat.
Edwards pleaded guilty to possessing an air rifle with intent to cause
fear of violence, the other two men to affray.
Bridlington Free Press,
9 July 2009
A man who stole four
air rifles and other items from a home in
Bridlington, East Yorkshire, in February and pleaded guilty to
burglary in April has since failed to appear in court. Robin Burdall
and another man Stuart McCaw were caught carrying an air rifle each after
the burglary. McCaw was given a 12-month community order and ordered
to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.
BBC,
9 July 2009
Two
shotguns and two rifles were stolen from a locked cabinet at a
farm in Stocksfield, Northumberland.
BBC,
9 July 2009
A man armed with what appeared
to be a gun covered by a carrier bag demanded cash at a bookmakers in
Luton, Bedfordshire. He left the scene with an unknown quantity
of cash.
BBC,
9 July 2009
Michael Smith from
Dukinfield, Greater Manchester, has pleaded guilty to possessing a
firearm, possessing drugs with intent to supply and possessing a noxious
substance. Police found the loaded gun, a key ring device, with a
claw hammer and a CS spray can in his rucksack in October 2009. The
gun fires two .22 bullets.
Sunderland Echo,
8 July 2009
A couple from Seaham,
County Durham, have admitted threatening a man who had earlier been
assaulted by their son. David Stamp jnr had been jailed for 10
months for an incident in which the victim was threatened with a metal bar
and an air weapon.
The Press,
8 July 2009
A man was shot twice in a
pellet gun attack as he walked along a
street in York with his wife and young child. He was hit in
the ribs and then shot again on the arm as he reported the attack on his
mobile phone. The perpetrator may have been firing the gun again
later in the day, as a man was spotted firing pellets at a hotel in the
same area.
Pendle Today,
8 July 2009
Councillors in Kelbrook,
Lancashire are concerned at a recent increase
airgun shootings in fields close to the heart of the village.
A window was shattered by a pellet recently. It is suspected that it
could have been done accidentally by someone taking a pot-shot at a
rabbit.
BBC,
8 July 2009
Two men, one armed with a gun,
stole a car in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, hitting the driver
over the head with a metal bar and ordering the victim and his girlfriend
out of the car. Two men have been arrested.
Tameside Advertiser,
7 July 2009
A shop assistant was
threatened at gunpoint by a man who entered a shop in Dukinfield,
Greater Manchester. The robber fled with some cash.
The Star,
7 July 2009
Marin Wilmott has admitted
aggravated burglary, possessing a bladed article and carrying an
imitation firearm, a black handgun.
In January 2009 he broke into a home in Barnsley, South Yorkshire,
and stole a number of items but was detained and disarmed by a member of
the public who was given a £400 award by the judge. He has been
jailed for six years and ten months.
Rugby Advertiser,
7 July 2009
Two members of the public have
received Chief Constable's commendations for taking on a young offender
who attempted to rob a shop in Rugby, Warwickshire, in September
2008. The offender had pointed a BB gun
at a shop worker.
Huddersfield Daily
Examiner,
7 July 2009
A man forced to flee a house
in Moldgreen, Huddersfield, because of constant hassle, has
described how he and another group were threatened at gunpoint and his
friend was shot in the leg with an air rifle.
Daily Echo,
7 July 2009 *
A security guard was
threatened by a robber armed with a gun who seized a cashbox in
Bournemouth, Dorset. A man has been jailed for six years after
admitting robbery and having an imitation firearm
(see August 2009
Incidents).
This is Local London,
6 July 2009
During the trial of Steven
Stallion, who was found guilty of murdering his partner by repeatedly
punching her in the head at their flat in Dartford, Kent, the court
was told that the couple had split up briefly in 2007 after she alleged he
shot her in the back with an airgun.
Teletext,
6 July 2009
Four men forced their way into
a house in Didsbury, Greater Manchester, and attacked a 19-year-old
before stealing a shotgun and other
items.
Southend Standard,
6 July 2009 *
Mark Norton has admitted
brandishing a fake handgun which
caused a three hour armed siege in Shoebury, Essex, in April 2009
(see Incidents).
He pleaded guilty to using an imitation firearm to resist arrest. He
has been jailed for four-and-a-half years (Echo, 5 August 2009).
Northampton Chronicle
& Echo,
6 July 2009
When Leon Gill's home in
Duston, Northampton, was searched a police officer found an unfired
World War Two pistol round and a hollow-pointed dum-dum bullet as well as
an air rifle, shotgun cartridges, a
knuckleduster and a flick knife. He pleaded guilty to two charges of
possessing ammunition and was fined £2000 with £250 costs. The
ammunition will be destroyed.
Devon 24,
6 July 2009
A teenager suffered head and
knee injuries after being shot with a BB gun
in Roundswell, Barnstaple in Devon. Four men, two of them
teenagers, were later arrested.
BBC,
6 July 2009
A shop worker has been shot
dead in Winton, Greater Manchester. A man entered the shop
and fired several times at the victim. Ten people, eight men and two
women have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder.
One man has been charged with murder (BBC, 12 July 2009). A
second man has also bee charged with murder (BBC, 27 July 2009).
BBC,
6 July 2009
Two security workers were
threatened at gunpoint as they filled a cash point in Lenton,
Nottingham.
Three robbers stole a significant amount of cash.
This is Croydon Today,
5 July 2009
A man was shot in the shoulder
in Norbury, south London. Early reports suggest the weapon
was a pellet or airgun.
Oxford Times,
5 July 2009
Two 18-year-olds have been
jailed for an attack on another man at a crematorium in Barton,
Oxford, in November 2008 (see
Incidents). The victim received an eye injury after being
shot with an airgun, and his injuries
are both permanent and life-changing. Kam Matthews was sentenced to
four and a half years after admitting causing grievous bodily account with
intent to endanger life. Cory Harry received a nine-month prison
sentence after admitting committing actual bodily harm.
BBC,
5 July 2009
A man was arrested after
police responded to reports of a man with a firearm in Hertford.
A firearm was handed over. A man has been charged with possession of
an air weapon and intent to cause fear
and violence (BBC, 6 July 2009).
BBC,
5 July 2009
Two men on scrambler bikes
were shot at from a passing car in Huyton, Merseyside. No one
was injured. Bullet casings were found at the scene.
BBC,
5 July 2009 *
A gang of at least three men
raided a jewellery shop in Cowes, Isle of Wight. A worker was
threatened with a gun, which police say may have been a replica. Fifteen watches were stolen. Two men have
been charged, one with robbery and the other with robbery and possession
of an imitation firearm (Isle
of Wight County Press, 15 October 2009).
Burnham-on-Sea.com,
5 July 2009
A man has been arrested in
Highbridge, Somerset, after police seized a haul of drugs, a crossbow,
fireworks and a high-powered air rifle.
He has been charged with a firearm offence.
Norwich Evening News,
4 July 2009
Two men who took two
BB guns into Norwich and fired
pellets at pedestrians have been warned they could be jailed. Jem
Van Turmaine and Casey Westgate shot the pellets out of the window of a
car during the incident in June 2009. They pleaded guilty to having
an imitation firearm in a public place.
Herald (Plymouth),
4 July 2009
Stuart Mitchell was found to
have a stun gun at his flat in
Devonport, Plymouth. He had bought the gun in Florida and was
assured it was legal in the UK. He claimed to keep it for self
defence. He was sentenced to 200 hours of unpaid community work
after also admitted cultivating cannabis plants.
Hull Daily Mail,
4 July 2009
A 12-year-old boy was shot in
the arm in Beverley, East Yorkshire, when he and two friends were
approached by another boy who fired what has been described as a
BB gun. A boy has been issued a
reprimand and police are preparing to visit primary schools warning pupils
about the dangers of BB guns.
Great Yarmouth Mercury,
4 July 2009
Windows of a housing estate in
Caister, Norfolk, have been shot at with what police believe was an
airgun. The company behind the
estate are offering a reward for information leading to a conviction.
Evening Gazette,
4 July 2009
Darren Every has received a 16
month prison sentence after a young woman was shot with a semi-automatic
airgun as she left a party in
Stockton, Teesside, in January 2009. She received bruising to
the waist. The incident followed an argument between Every's brother
and the woman's friend. At the time of the incident he was banned
from having any firearms for five years because of a conviction. He
pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm and possessing a
firearm when prohibited and with intent to cause fear of violence.
It was accepted that the weapon was fired recklessly, not deliberately,
and that Every did not realise it was loaded.
Cambridge News,
4 July 2009
A driver was forced to duck as
he saw a man in an oncoming vehicle pull out a pistol, aim and fire it at
him. The incident took place on the A141 in Hartford,
Cambridgeshire. The weapon turned out to be an
airgun.
BBC,
4 July 2009
Two men suffered injuries when
they were shot in a street in Handsworth, Birmingham. The
injuries are not thought to be life-threatening but one of the victims is
said to have been lucky to survive (Birmingham Mail, 5 July 2009).
BBC,
4 July 2009
A teenage girl is in hospital
after suffering gunshot wounds to her leg in an incident in
Potterhanworth, Lincolnshire. The body of a man was found in a
field nearby and a gun was found close to the body. The dead man,
the ex-partner of the victim's mother, had gunshot wounds
and had also shot the girl (BBC, 5 July 2009). Elvis Cant was
on police bail over an assault and death threats and at the time of his
arrest in June firearms had been removed from his home in Grantham.
An investigation will focus on how he was able to be in possession of a
shotgun on the evening of his death (BBC, 9 July 2009).
This is Kent,
3 July 2009
Shop signs have been shot with
air rifles during a spate of vandalism
in Edenbridge, Kent.
Sunderland Echo,
3 July 2009
A 15-year-old armed himself
with an air rifle and stole some chips
from another youth at a takeaway in Chester-le-Street, County
Durham, in September 2008. The weapon was discharged but no one was
hurt. The teenager admitted robbery. He has been ordered to
wear an electronic tag and must remain indoors from 8pm to 6am for the
next three months (Northern Echo, 30 July 2009).
Southern Daily Echo,
3 July 2009
Zachary Lowe has admitted
possessing an imitation firearm in a public place following an incident in
August 2008 (see Incidents)
in Shirley, Southampton, when armed police arrived after reports
that a man was brandishing a handgun. A
plastic toy gun was found, and Lowe claimed it had been a joke.
He was bailed for sentence.
Birmingham Mail,
3 July 2009
Wayne Harper was caught with a
stun gun and a CS gas canister at his
home in Marston Green, West Midlands. He pleaded guilty to
two charges of possessing prohibited weapons as well as admitting drug
offences. He has been jailed for 15 months.
Berrow's Worcester
Journal,
3 July 2009
Symon Hawkes was high on
cannabis when he terrified a former schoolfriend by holding a pistol to
his head and trying to strangle him. The incident took place at
Hawkes's bedsit in Worcester. He pleaded guilty to having an
imitation firearm intending to cause
fear of violence, possession of cannabis and assault causing actual bodily
harm. He has been jailed for 18 months.
BBC,
3 July 2009
Soloman Tomkinson has been
jailed for five and a half years after admitting a robbery at a store in
New Buckenham, Norfolk, in October 2008. He threatened a shop
assistant with an airgun and grabbed
£425 from the till. He asked for 12 other offences to be taken into
consideration. The court heard Tomkinson had a record of 78 previous
offences, three committed with a handgun.
Teletext,
2 July 2009 *
Two men, one apparently armed with a
sawn-off double barrelled shotgun,
attempted to rob a shop in Southampton. Two men have pleaded
guilty to charges of conspiracy to rob and possession of an
imitation firearm with intent (see
October 2009 Incidents).
BBC,
2 July 2009 *
A man has died and three
others have been injured in what police have described as a gang-related
shooting in Broomhall, Sheffield. The shooting involved two
groups of people. One of the injured men was said to be in a serious
but stable condition, the other two were treated for minor injuries.
Four men are on trial, one has denied murder and conspiracy to murder, his
cousin and two others deny conspiracy to murder (Yorkshire Post, 27
January 2010). All four have been cleared (see
February 2010 Incidents).
BBC,
2 July 2009
A man was found with
superficial injuries to his upper body, believed to be caused by an
airgun, after a shooting in Norris
Green, Liverpool. Detectives are investigating whether he was
the victim of a targeted attack.
BBC,
2 July 2009
A loaded handgun, ammunition
and drugs were recovered during an operation targeting gun and gang crime
in Derby. Four people, three teenagers and a woman, were
arrested. The handgun had a live bullet in it (Derby Evening
Telegraph, 3 July 2009). A 17-year-old has been charged (BBC,
27 July 2009).
The Star,
1 July 2009
A family were left terrified
after two masked raiders armed with a shotgun
burst into their home in Hackenthorpe, Sheffield. The men
also had a knife. The men stole jewellery, mobile phones, a games
console and a laptop before fleeing.
Pendle Today,
1 July 2009
A man from Nelson,
Lancashire, has been charged with possessing a prohibited .22 calibre
double-barrelled firearm, possessing cartridges and bullets designed to
expand on impact, threatening to kill a detective sergeant and assault by
beating. Police allegedly found a firearm in a suit in a wardrobe at
the man's home.
SCOTLAND
Greenock Telegraph,
30 July 2009
Robert McColl bought a
stun gun over the internet. The
weapon was found by police when they raided his home in Port Glasgow,
Renfrewshire. He has been jailed for 12 months.
Largs & Millport
Weekly News,
29 July 2009
A steel pellet was fired
through the window of a cafe in Largs, Ayrshire. It is
believed that a catapult or airgun may
have been used.
BBC,
24 July 2009
A woman has been shot with an
airgun pellet as she was walking at
Ardcroy, Inverness-shire. She was not seriously injured.
Police officers wish to speak to a group of youths seen nearby at the
time.
Hamilton Advertiser,
23 July 2009 *
Andrew Gallacher was armed
with an imitation pistol, which
appeared to be a black handgun, when he asked a customer at a bookmakers
in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, if there was anyone inside. An
armed response unit was called out during the incident in September 2008.
Gallacher has admitted a breach of the peace and placing people in a state
of fear and alarm. He has been ordered to carry out 200 hours of
unpaid work (Hamilton Advertiser, 3 September 2009).
BBC,
23 July 2009 *
One of three men accused of
killing a teenager and attempting to kill another man in a drive-by
shooting in Paisley in August 2007 (see
Incidents) has been cleared of murder and
attempted murder. John Burke has pleaded guilty to possessing two
firearms and ammunition without a licence at a flat in Glasgow.
Anthony Collins has now been found guilty of taking part in the murder and
attempting to murder the other man who was the intended target of the
shooting. Collins has been jailed for life and must serve at least
20 years before being eligible for parole (BBC, 26 August 2009).
Burke has been jailed
for eight years (Sun, 27 August 2009).
BBC,
17 July 2009 *
Two men with a gun escaped
with thousands of pounds in cash after an armed raid on security guards at
a petrol station in Newmains, North Lanarkshire. A man has
admitted being involved in the raid. The weapon used was found to be
an airgun (see
December 2009 Incidents).
Irvine Times,
15 July 2009
Christopher O'Neill is
awaiting jail after threatening his teenage sister with an
air pistol at the family home in
Irvine, Ayrshire. He held the weapon 12 feet away from her and
her friend after she refused to give him £50 whilst he was drunk.
BBC,
10 July 2009
Thieves stole a number of
paintball guns from a centre in Farr, Highlands. A large
quantity of sweets and soft drinks were also taken.
BBC,
8 July 2009
William Ellis from Bo'ness,
West Lothian, planned to torture a woman, including using a
stun gun on her. He has been jailed
for four years and placed on a lifelong restriction order.
Evening News,
7 July 2009
An
air rifle was stolen by thieves who raided a caravan parked in
a garden in East Calder, West Lothian.
Evening Telegraph and
Post,
6 July 2009
A 14-year-old is undergoing
surgery to have a pellet removed from his chest cavity after being shot
with an airgun in Dundee.
A 16-year-old has been arrested and charged in connection with the
incident.
Evening News,
4 July 2009 *
Two weeks after buying an
imitation gun over the internet a man is
alleged to have pointed a gun at a man and demanded that his girlfriend
remove and hand over her pants. The incident took place at Calton
Hill, Edinburgh, in May 2008. Karim Bourouba has been found
guilty of committing a breach of the peace and a firearms offence.
He has been jailed for a year (stv, 21 August 2009).
Daily Record,
2 July 2009
A 5-year-old girl is being
treated in hospital after being shot in the neck with an
air rifle whilst playing with her brother
and an uncle at her home in Muirhouse in Motherwell, Lanarkshire.
Two air rifles were later removed. A man has been arrested in
connection with the incident.
BBC,
1 July 2009
A man who shot a 12-year-old
boy in the stomach with an air weapon
in Stanley, Perthshire, in January 2009 has been jailed for nine
months. Steven Urquhart, who admitted shooting and injuring the
child, was high on valium when he confronted the boy about the noise of
his mini-motorbike. He claimed he used the gun for shooting rabbits.
WALES
BBC,
31 July 2009
A stall holder has been told
by police to remove two deactivated guns
from open sale at a market in Cardiff. Although she had
certificates the police told the stall holder to sell the weapons through
"more appropriate channels".
This is South Wales,
24 July 2009
Kevin Mahoney from Neath
pleaded guilty to having in his possession a
Belgian single-barrel shotgun without a certificate. He
also admitted selling it to 19-year-old Samuel Grant, his son's friend,
who was not a registered firearms dealer and did not have a firearms
licence. Grant said he was under the impression he was buying an air
rifle. Grant was given a 12-month community order and ordered to
complete 200 hours of unpaid work. Mahoney was jailed for two
months.
South Wales Echo,
23 July 2009
Three men have been arrested
in connection with a suspected firearms incident in Tonypandy, Mid
Glamorgan.
BBC,
7 July 2009
Roy Clarke, a former police
officer from Newport, has pleaded guilty to blackmail after trying
to get a man to hand over thousands of pounds. During the bid he had
used a replica handgun he claimed was
given to him by another man who has denied two counts of blackmail.
He has been jailed for more than two years: his sentence was reduced for
providing evidence against two other men in the case and for pleading
guilty (BBC, 21 August 2009).
INCIDENTS INVOLVING ANIMALS
Oxford Mail,
23 July 2009
A cat needed major surgery
after it was shot with an airgun.
He was discovered by his owner in his garden in Burford,
Oxfordshire. A pellet had broken his leg in two places, shattering
the bone.
Express & Star,
23 July 2009
A young swan has been shot
through the head with an air rifle on
a canal in Dudley, West Midlands. A pellet was lodged in its
skull. It was taken to a sanctuary for emergency treatment.
Teletext,
22 July 2009
A cat has been shot in the
stomach in an airgun attack in
Cwmbran. It follows similar incidents in Swansea,
Maesteg and Newport in the last month according to the RSPCA.
Kent News,
21 July 2009
A cat was shot with an
air rifle in Orpington, south
London. A major operation was needed to remove a pellet from the
body. The pellet had pierced the spleen and both kidneys.
This is Lancashire,
20 July 2009
A cat has survived after being
shot with an airgun for the second
time in two years. After the latest attack in Astley Bridge,
Greater Manchester, an x-ray showed a pellet lodged in his skull at the
back of his right eye. The pellet has had to be left in place.
Rhyl Journal,
17 July 2009
A veterinary examination of a
cat from Abergele, Conwy, who died from being kicked revealed that
the pet had an old wound from being shot with a
BB gun.
Reading Chronicle,
15 July 2009
The owner of a dog found the
pet lying in a puddle of blood in Enborne, Berkshire, after it had
been shot with an air rifle.
Vets tried to remove the pellet from its lungs but it died from its
injuries.
Coventry Telegraph,
15 July 2009
Following warnings from the
RSPCA about airgun attacks on animals the paper reported the death of a
cat from Coundon, Coventry, who was shot through the chest in June 2009.
In 2008 the RSPCA nationally dealt with 759 animals who had been affected
by the improper use of airguns.
BBC,
15 July 2009
A pet cat has died two days
after being shot with an airgun in
Ashby, Leicestershire.
West Sussex Gazette,
13 July 2009
A cat has had to have one of
its eyes removed after being shot with an airgun
in Ashington, Sussex. An eye specialist vet found a pellet
behind the eye.
Northwich Guardian,
13 July 2009
Three cats belonging to a
woman in Rudheath, Cheshire, have gone missing in the past six
months. One of the missing cats had been hit in the eye with an
airgun pellet last month. Vets were
unable to remove it as it became lodged into the cat's skull.
This is
Gloucestershire,
10 July 2009
A pet cat has been seriously
injured after being hit by an airgun
pellet in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. She was found by her
owners after staggering through the cat flap. The pellet entered
through the rear hind leg and travelled into the lower abdomen.
Norwich Evening News,
10 July 2009
A family cat is recovering
from shotgun wounds. It was
taken to a veterinary centre with a broken leg and more than 20 shotgun
pellets lodged in his body. The pet had been missing for three days
from his home in Sculthorpe, Norfolk, when he returned unsteady on
his feet and with a wound full of maggots.
Melton
Times,
9 July 2009
Three pigeons were found shot
dead in the middle of a car park in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire.
The wounds on the backs of two of the birds may have been caused by
air weapons, the RSPCA believes.
Leigh
Journal,
8 July 2009
A pet cat has died after being
shot with an airgun in Leigh, Lancashire. The shooting happened
shortly after another cat was found dead at the side of the road. It
had been shot through the eye.
Western Telegraph,
6 July 2009
A dog from Milford Haven,
Pembrokeshire, has undergone treatment after being shot at least five
times, possibly with an air weapon.
It currently has one pellet lodged in its skull.
Telegraph & Argus,
2 July 2009
A cat has lost an eye after an
air rifle pellet penetrated her
eyeball. Her owner from Low Moor, Bradford, said that air
rifles should, at the very least, be licensed if not banned". She
had to spend almost £500 on treatment.
Runcorn and Widnes
Weekly News,
2 July 2009
Two swans have been shot dead
at Spike Island in Widnes, Cheshire. An RSPCA spokeswoman
said that airgun attacks on animals
were 'rife'. Rewards have been offered in a bid to catch those
responsible.
Oxford Times,
2 July 2009
A cat which has been shot with
an airgun twice in five of months is
recovering after vets amputated his leg. In the first incident the
cat, from Littlemore, Oxford, was shot in the face, in the latest
incident he was shot in the foreleg.
Stourbridge News,
1 July 2009
A cat is lucky to be alive
after an airgun pellet lodged in his
spine leaving him so badly wounded that PDSA vets had recommended he
should be put to sleep. The cat was missing for three days before
being found tangled in vines in a neighbour's garden in Wollaston,
West Midlands.
