2006

We prepare a monthly summary of gun incidents, focussing on those that raise key issues about the nature of gun crime and the adequacy of gun legislation.  Items that have been amended or added to the list since the Summary was written are marked (*).

 

ENGLAND

Sheffield Today, 30 December 2006

A robber brandishing a silver handgun confronted a sub-postmaster as he was opening up the branch in Darnall.  He demanded to be taken inside and be given the contents of the safe.  He tied up the sub-postmaster and then climbed on to the roof to escape.  The victim's wife called the police who sent an armed response team but the robber had fled.

BBC, 30 December 2006 *

A 17-year-old was shot three times in what is being described by police as a targeted attack.  The teenager was cycling through a park in Stretford, Manchester, when he was shot in the back, stomach and legs.  His condition is described as comfortable.  An 18-year-old has been convicted of attempted murder and three teenagers have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to cause actual bodily harm (see May 2007 Incidents).

The Press (York), 29 December 2006

Two armed robbers used a handgun to demand cash from terrified shop assistants at a shop in York.  The men took cash and escaped.

Peterborough Evening Telegraph, 29 December 2006

A bag of cash was stolen from two men in Huntingdon when they were approached by a man with a handgun.  They were intending to deposit the bank at a nearby bank.

Hemel Today, 29 December 2006 *

A man has been bailed by police after an incident in Ealing Broadway, west London, in which he is alleged to have pointed a gun at another driver during a road rage argument.  A BB gun was found inside the man's car.

BBC, 28 December 2006 *

A man was discovered dead in a field in Cottingham near Hull.  He had been brutally beaten to death and also been shot with an air weapon.  Another report described the victim's body being found peppered with wounds from an airgun (Sun, 28 December 2006).  The police want to speak to people with information about air weapons being used in the area.  Two teenagers, aged 19 and 18, have been found guilty of murder (see October 2007 Incidents).

BBC, 28 December 2006

A robber told the staff at a Leicester betting shop that he had a handgun.  He threatened them with an object wrapped in a carrier bag then left with a quantity of cash.

BBC, 27 December 2006

A shop assistant in Leasowe on the Wirral was threatened by a robber armed with a stun gun who made off with the takings.  The victim was left shaken but uninjured.

BBC, 26 December 2006

A man armed with a shotgun threatened an attendant at a petrol station in Doncaster.  The attendant was forced to hand over cash.  She was left shaken but otherwise unhurt.

This is Hertfordshire, 22 December 2006

Two masked raiders threatened staff with a handgun and a baseball bat as they stole a small amount of cash from a book shop in Hatfield.

BBC, 22 December 2006

Two robbers held a gun to the head of a security guard as he made a delivery to a supermarket in Bury.  The men ran away with at least five bags containing a "significant amount" of money.

BBC, 22 December 2006

A teenage shop worker was injured when he was attacked in an off licence in Rugby by a masked man carrying a handgun.  The robber fled with an unknown amount of money after kneeing the victim in the stomach.

Telegraph, 21 December 2006

Douglas Bernstein buried an illegally-held .357 Ruger revolver and 20 bullets in his garden in Dunsfold, Surrey.  His wife discovered what he had done and informed the police.  He pleaded guilty to having a prohibited firearm and ammunition without a certificate.  He said he had bought the weapon lawfully in America and claimed he had inadvertently brought it into Britain inside the drawer of some furniture when he took up a post at Southampton University.  He was given a 51 weeks' jail sentence suspended for two years and was ordered to carry out 180 hours' unpaid work.

Hemel Today, 21 December 2006

A pensioner was robbed at gunpoint at his home in Berkhamsted.  Three men, one of whom was holding a black handgun, stole Christmas presents, cash and credit cards.  They had rung his doorbell late in the evening and then demanded money from him.

AOL News, 21 December 2006 *

Four teenagers have been convicted of killing a woman as she cradled a baby at the child's christening party in Peckham in August 2005 (see Incidents).  A 17-year-old was convicted of murder and the other three, aged 15, 16 and 17 were convicted of manslaughter.  All four were members of an armed masked gang who burst into a christening party and after shooting the victim robbed other guests of valuables.  Roberto Malasi, 18, was jailed for 30 years for the murder and was given a second life sentence for killing another woman two weeks later.  Diamond Babamuboni, 17, and Timy Babamuboni, 15, and Jude Odigie, 16, were all given indeterminate sentences for manslaughter and robbery and will serve a minimum of 8 years in detention (Telegraph, 15 February 2007).

Times, 20 December 2006

A soldier, Danny McKee, has been jailed for three years after stealing a Browning 9mm pistol from the armoury of his barracks at Chivenor, north Devon, in June 2006 and using it to threaten a drugs dealer in a row over £20.

Diss Mercury, 20 December 2006

A man was shot in the leg at point-blank range outside a pub in Diss following an argument.  About half an hour after time had been called one of the men who had been arguing returned brandishing an air rifle and shot the other man in the leg.  The victim needed hospital treatment for severe bruising but was saved from more serious injuries after the pellet first hit his keys.

Coventry Evening Telegraph, 20 December 2006

Deke Merlin Hogan of Willenhall was given a community punishment order for 12 months and ordered to do 100 hours unpaid community work after having a loaded air rifle in a public place without lawful authority.  The gun was forfeited.

BBC, 20 December 2006

Two robbers dressed as postmen threatened a couple at their home in Ewell, Surrey.  It is believed that were armed with a firearm in a black plastic bag.  They had entered the property after telling the man they had a letter in their van.  The robbers stole money.

National Newspapers, 19 and 23 December 2006 *

Yusuf Jama, 20, has been found guilty of the  murder of PC Sharon Beshenivsky, who was shot dead at point blank range following a bungled armed robbery at a travel agents in Bradford in November 2005 (see Incidents).  Another police officer, PC Teresa Milburn, was shot and injured.  Two brothers, Faisal Razzaq and Hassan Rassaq, were found guilty of the manslaughter of PC Beshenivsky.  Jama was also found guilty of possessing a Mac10 machine gun and a 9mm pistol with intent to endanger life and two counts of possessing firearms.  Raza Ul-Haq Aslam was cleared of all charges except for robbery and will be retried in February.  Earlier Muzzaker Shah had admitted PC Beshenivsky's murder, but the judge had ordered the jury to clear him of PC Milburn's attempted murder.  Shah and Jama have each been sentenced to a minimum of 35 years in prison.  Faisal Razzaq was given a life sentence and will serve at least 11 years before being considered for parole.  Hassan Razzaq was given a twenty year sentence (see BBC, 23 May 2007).  Two other men, Mustaf Jama and Piran Ditta Khan remain on the run from the police.  Raza Ul-Haq Aslam has been jailed for eight years for taking part in the robbery (BBC, 23 May 2007).

Lancashire Evening Post, 19 December 2006

Michael Richard Allen has been given a supervision order for 18 months after being seen in Preston carrying a machete and a ball-bearing gun.

Leeds Today, 18 December 2006

A man who spent hours documenting acts of vandalism, threatening and antisocial behaviour in a street in Middleton, Leeds, describes some of the things he caught on camera as outrageous.  He says he recorded airgun pellets being fired and threats made to shoot a four-year-old girl.

ic Birmingham, 18 December 2006

Police are investigating the death of a man who was discovered with gunshot wounds at a farm near Broadway, Worcestershire.  An inquest has been opened (Evesham Journal, 20 December 2006).

Sunday Mirror, 17 December 2006

A masked gunman robbed a woman of up to £500,000 of jewellery and cash at her home in Sandbanks, Dorset.  She was alone when the man broke in through an open side door.

BBC, 17 December 2006

A shop worker was shot with a ball-bearing gun as two men held up a shop in Long Buckby, Northamptonshire.  The robbers fled with the night's takings.  The victim was shot in the arm and suffered bruising.

Portsmouth.co.uk, 16 December 2006

Three robbers burst into an off licence in Fratton and threatened a cashier with a gun.  The men attempted to get into the till but were unable to open it and fled empty-handed.

Contactmusic.com, 16 December 2006

A suspected thief pulled out a stun gun in Harrods store in Knightsbridge, London.  The suspect smashed a glass door before running away, chased by security guards.  He surrendered 30 minutes later after running into a block of flats.

Cotswold Journal, 15 December 2006

Police in the North Cotswolds are warning parents about the pitfalls of allowing children and teenagers to own air weapons.  The warning comes after police received reports that youths were firing an air rifle at the windows of homes in Withington.  Three boys, aged 16 and 15, were given a police reprimand.

BBC, 15 December 2006

Staff at a travel agents in Darlington were confronted by a gunman who stole £5,000 in sterling and other denominations.  No one was hurt in the incident, although two female members of staff were left shocked and shaken.  Police are investigating whether the robbery is linked to the one on another travel agents in Hartlepool (see below).

BBC, 15 December 2006

A murder inquiry has begun after a man was shot at his home in Handsworth, Birmingham.  Police say they were called to reports of an incident at the house.  The victim died in hospital.

Hartlepool Today, 14 December 2006

A man fled with cash which he demanded from a female shop assistant at a travel agents in Hartlepool.  Police believe he was carrying a handgun.  The assistant was badly shaken but not hurt during the incident.

Daily Echo, 14 December 2006 *

Thomas Blackburn, 20, pleaded guilty to charges of unlawful wounding and possession of a firearm, following the shooting of a seven-year-old boy who was riding his bicycle outside his home in Poole in August 2006 (see Incidents).  An air rifle, silencer and ammunition were found in his room at home after the attack.  The victim spent three nights in hospital where surgeons attempted to remove   an airgun pellet from his leg and clean the wound.  Blackburn was sent to a young offenders' institution for 10 months (Daily Echo, 13 January 2007).

Guardian, 13 December 2006

Lloywen Carty, Jermaine Labastide and Conroy Smith, members of a London drugs gang, were convicted of murder during the 2004 Notting Hill carnival.  The gang drew weapons, including a Mac10 sub-machine gun, and shot the victim near Kensal Green underground station (see Incidents).

Bromley Times, 13 December 2006

Two armed robberies are believed to have been carried out by the same gang of youths.  At Penge four men burst into a shop, one of them brandishing a handgun wrapped in a cloth or a sock.  They made off with an undisclosed sum of money and some cigarettes.  A shop was robbed in Anerley by a similar gang who accosted a security guard, threatened him with a handgun, before taking him into the back room while they stole two till trays, emptied the safe and took packets of cigarettes.

BBC, 13 December 2006

A man threatened a lone female cashier with a gun during an armed robbery on a building society in Ashbourne, Derbyshire.  The man escaped with £1,500. 

Press Association, 12 December 2006

Trevon Kyron Thomas was convicted of trying to kill PC Rachael Bown in a back street in Nottingham in February 2006 (see Incidents).  PC Bown suffered life threatening injuries in the attack and has still not returned to duty.  Thomas was also convicted of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.  He had responded to being sprayed with CS gas by PC Bown's colleague by firing three shots from his Browning 9 mm pistol, two of which hit PC Bown.  He has been jailed for 30 years (BBC, 14 December 2006).

Mansfield Today, 12 December 2006 *

A group of men have appeared in court charged with pointing a ball bearing gun out of a car while they drove around the centre of Mansfield in February 2006.  Matthew Smith, Jason Brown and Richard Meehan admitted possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.  They also admitted other driving and vehicle offences.  The vehicle was stolen in Clipstone and the guns were already in the car.  Brown, 18, and Meehan, 21, were given custodial sentences of 15 months and for seven months and 90 days for these and other offences.  Smith, 21, received a six months sentence suspended for 18 months.  Another man, Jason Broadway, was given a community order with 120 hours unpaid work (Mansfield Today, 31 January 2007).

Journal (Newcastle), 12 December 2006 *

Armed police were called to an incident in Tynemouth in which a man was shot in the legs.  Members of the public reported the sound of gunshots.  The victim was in a serious condition in hospital.  A man has been given an indefinite jail sentence for the attack (see May 2007 Incidents).

News Shopper, 11 December 2006

A woman was tied up and threatened with a handgun and a knife after robbers forced their way into her home in Gravesend.  Two men asked if they could read the electricity meter and when they were refused entry they pushed the door aside, followed by two more men.  The gang stole cash, jewellery and the woman's car which was recovered an hour later.

Guardian, 11 December 2006

Lance Corporal Ross Phillips and Private Shane Pleasant from the 3rd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment admitted possession of a prohibited pistol at a hearing at Catterick Garrison.  Two other soldiers admitted an offence of trying to pervert the course of justice.  Two other soldiers, who are both due to face proceedings next year, planned a "business arrangement" to buy guns in Iraq and sell them to colleagues at the battalion base in Germany in an alleged plot to smuggle guns out of Iraq and trade them for drugs and cash (see October 2006 Incidents).  Philips had bought an imitation handgun converted to fire live ammunition from one of the other soldiers and Pleasant admitted buying from the same man a different imitation pistol which had been converted to fire live rounds.  Phillips and Pleasant were both sent to prison for over five years.  The other soldiers, Lance Corporal Ben Whitfield and Private Robert Marlow, were sentenced to a jail sentence of two years and eight months and six months in an Army detention centre, respectively (BBC, 11 December 2006).

BBC, 11 December 2006

A man from Church Langley, Harlow, took two men for a test drive in his car, which he had advertised for sale.  He was threatened at gunpoint by the men who stole his mobile phone and drove off in his car.

BBC, 11 December 2006

Police have applied to magistrates for a closure order on a nightclub in Ipswich after one man died and three others were injured.  A post-mortem examination revealed that the dead man had received a gunshot wound (it was initially reported that the victim had been stabbed).  Another man was shot in the shoulder and legs, and two men were also treated for gunshot wounds after being injured in the club.  A man was arrested for a public order offence and released on bail and eight people have been arrested on suspicion of firearms offences but a spokesman said police were unable to say whether the arrests had any connection with the earlier incidents at the nightclub.  A handgun was found in a car park at the rear of the club (East Anglian Daily Times, 11 December 2006).

BBC, 10 December 2006 *

A man was shot dead in his car in a busy retail park in Croxteth, Merseyside.  It is believed that the gunman escaped in a car which was later found abandoned in Norris Green.  The victim, described as a notorious criminal, had survived an attempt on his life by a masked gunman after being sent off while playing in a football match in 2005 (Liverpool Echo, 12 December 2006).  A 19-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of murder (BBC, 23 August 2007).

Manchester Evening News, 9 December 2006

Peter Grass, described as an expert shot, hunted down and executed a dairy farmer, shooting him twice from behind and then waiting five minutes before reloading his shotgun and killing him by shooting him in the head.  Grass was arrested after a seven-hour siege at his victim's farm at Radcliffe, near Bury.  Grass had been friends with the victim and had lived as a tenant on the farm for seven years but their relationship had changed and he had been ordered to leave.  He must serve at least 26 years in jail before he can be considered for release.

BBC, 7 December 2006

A man has been arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence after a fight at a pub in Newlyn, Cornwall.

BBC, 7 December 2006 *

Two nurses at a Birmingham hospital were threatened by a man, believed to have been a patient and thought to be armed with a gun.  He demanded drugs.  Police used a stun gun to arrest a man who is now in custody.  The incident was very traumatic for staff and patients, although none were injured.  A man has admitted robbery and possession of an imitation firearm (see March 2007 Incidents).

ic South London, 6 December 2006

An off licence in Belvedere was raided by three masked robbers who shot a shop worker three times with a ball bearing gun.  A ball bearing was removed from the victim's arm.  The robbers took just a few packets of cigarettes.

ic South London, 6 December 2006

A Croydon nightclub was evacuated by armed police after a man was spotted with a handgun.  The loaded pistol was found hidden in the gents' toilet.

News & Star, 5 December 2006

A woman was taken to hospital with a bruised arm after being shot as she walked down a street in Botcherby, Carlisle.  Police believe her attacker used a ball bearing gun.

This is Hertfordshire, 4 December 2006 *

A man has died after being found with gunshot wounds at a house in Carshalton, south London.  The victim did not live at the address and it is not know what links he had there (ic Croydon, 8 December 2006).  A man has been convicted of murder and will serve at least 30 years in prison (see July 2008 Incidents).

This is Hampshire, 4 December 2006

Jermaine Tyrer and Simon Brooker have been given indeterminate jail sentences after they were found guilty of attempted murder, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of Class A drugs.  A man was left with a life-threatening gunshot wound to his abdomen after violence erupted in a Basingstoke bar in December 2005 (see Incidents).

BBC, 4 December 2006

Three masked men threatened customers and staff at a post office in St Agnes, Cornwall.  They were armed with a sawn-off shotgun.

BBC, 4 December 2006

A haul of 65 high-powered guns was discovered during a raid on a house in Crystal Palace, south London.  The house was unoccupied and no-one was arrested.

BBC, 2 December 2006

A worker in an off licence in Whittingham, Preston, was threatened with a gun by two men during an armed robbery.  The pair drove off in a car after stealing cigarettes.

BBC, 2 December 2006

Two men were injured in a shooting in Ordsall, Salford.  Both men are in a stable condition and their injuries, both to legs, are not believed to be life-threatening.

BBC, 2 December 2006

Neighbours reported a disturbance and said a gun had been seen at a house in Birmingham where it was believed a man was being held hostage at gunpoint.  However, after a six hour siege it was discovered that there was no on inside the house.

Press Association, 1 December 2006

Philip Bignell, a man described as an "evil" gun collector, has been jailed for 16 years for subjecting young boys to a catalogue of cruel sexual abuse.  He used his collection of weaponry and war memorabilia to lure vulnerable victims into his clutches.  Bignell, who worked at Harrow School, has had his dozen gun licences withdrawn.

BBC, 1 December 2006

A female security guard was threatened with a handgun by masked robbers as she was delivering cash to a store in Wickford, Essex.  They forced the guard to drop the cash box and made off by car.

Peterborough Today, 30 November 2006

A man brandishing a black handgun terrified staff at a Spalding bookmakers.  He demanded cash and fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of money.

In the News, 30 November 2006 *

A man has been killed in a shooting in the Lozells area of Birmingham.  He died in hospital after he was found suffering from gunshot wounds.  Three days earlier two people were arrested following reports of  a man being shot at in the area (BBC, 27 November 2006).  A man has been arrested in connection with the killing, which happened when the victim was working in a shop.  It is thought that the victim's brother was also killed in a shooting in 2003 (BBC, 1 December 2006).

BBC, 29 November 2006 *

A shotgun was fired at a police van during a bank robbery in Horwich, near Bolton.  One police officer suffered facial injuries, either from shards of glass or shotgun pellets and his female colleague suffered shock.  Three men are being sought by police.  Three men have now been arrested after nine homes in Leigh were targeted during a series of dawn raids (This is Lancashire, 18 December 2006).

News Shopper, 28 November 2006

A woman was pistol-whipped by a man who snatched two of her puppies when he came to her Greenwich home with another man for a pre-arranged visit to see the dogs.  As he picked up the pups he pulled out a gun and said he was not going to pay for them.

East Anglian Daily Times, 28 November 2006

Carl Loveridge, who was traced after he left blood at the scene of a robbery, was discovered to have a firearm stored away in his bedroom when police raided his home in Brandon.  Despite claiming the air rifle to be his father's, he admitted one charge of theft and one count of possessing ammunition (as a former prisoner he was barred from having any firearms or ammunition within five years of release).  He was ordered to carry out 200 hours of community service.

Cambridge Evening News, 28 November 2006 *

Ken Kew has pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a gun in Fen Ditton in June 2006 (see Incidents).  He denies possession of a pistol with intent to cause fear of violence, threats to kill and threatening to damage property.  In court a male nurse has described how he was wounded by Kew.  He was shot in the left side of his chest, centimetres from his heart.  The nurse and his family were visiting Kew's estranged wife at the time.  Kew has been jailed for 16 years for attempted murder and given a deportation order (Cambridge Evening News, 15 January 2007).

BBC, 28 November 2006

Two family members were fired at as they drove out of a car park in Smethwick.  The attacker fired six shots from a handgun.  One victim was shot in the leg, the other in the shoulder and pelvis.  The pair are in hospital where their condition is described as stable.  Two other passengers in the car were unhurt.  All the men had been to a funeral.

BBC, 28 November 2006

Bus services on a service in Weston-super-Mare have been diverted after shots were fired, probably from an airgun, at its vehicles.  A passenger was told that his bus could only go to its destination in Worle because five buses had been hit by yobs (Weston & Somerset Mercury, 7 December 2006).

Portsmouth Today, 27 November 2006

A man walked into a video shop in Waterlooville and brandished what police believe was either a BB gun or an air rifle.  The shop assistant handed over a small amount of cash before the robber made off.  No shots were fired.

Huddersfield Daily Examiner, 27 November 2006

A thief who was armed with a gun hit a man over the head during a raid on a betting shop in Birkby.  The victim handed over cash and the man fled.

Bromsgrove News, 27 November 2006

A youth claiming to have a handgun escaped empty-handed after attempting to a petrol station in Belbroughton.  However, the only weapon seen was a small wooden baseball bat.

BBC, 26 November 2006 *

A gunman walked into a hotel in Slough and shot a 19-year-old man in the leg before running off.  The victim is being treated in hospital.  Three men are on trial accused of attempted murder and robbery (Daily Mail, 20 February 2008).

This is Bradford, 25 November 2006

Matthew Brakewell, a former police officer, told staff at a Bradford bingo hall that he was an undercover agents but had concocted an elaborate plot to steal money in October 2006 (see Incidents).  When caught he aimed an imitation handgun at two police officers to avoid arrest.  He was jailed for four years.

Stamford Today, 24 November 2006

A man forced a terrified pharmacist to hand over drugs and cash in a raid on a village chemist in Glinton.  He had pulled out what looked like a gun.

BBC, 24 November 2006

A soldier died during an exercise at Lydd firing ranges from a single gunshot wound to the head.  Police have been called to the ranges and are continuing to work alongside Army representatives.

Wakefield Today, 23 November 2006 *

A father was shot in the head with an airgun as he was pushing his 2-year-old son in his buggy on a walk to the shops in Lupset.  A pellet lodged in his head.  The incident happened just 90 minutes after a 16-year-old girl was fired at.  A man has been sent to young offender institution for nine months (see February 2007 Incidents).

ic Surrey, 23 November 2006

A teenager from South Godstone appeared before magistrates accused of having an imitation firearm and driving a car without valid licence or insurance cover.  He will argue that the gun was simply a toy belonging to his son.  The case was adjourned.

Huddersfield Daily Examiner, 23 November 2006

A man threatened a shopkeeper with a handgun and demanded money in an attempted robbery in Lindley.  The shopkeeper pressed an alarm button and the robber fled empty-handed.

Daelnet, 23 November 2006

A man entered a bookmakers in Skipton and threatened staff with a handgun to obtain cash.  He was captured on CCTV.  The gun was described as an old black military type pistol with a long barrel similar to those used by officers in the First World War.

BBC, 23 November 2006

A 16-year-old has been shot in the leg in the latest shooting in the Moss Side area of Manchester.  He was approached by a group of about six people, before one of them shot him in the knee.  He suffered minor injuries.

BBC, 23 November 2006

A man was found dead on the doorstep of a house in Purbrook, Waterlooville.  A shotgun was recovered from the scene.  Police had been called to reports of a domestic disturbance.  Police said the death was not being treated as suspicious. 

BBC, 23 November 2006

A robber, one of two, held a gun to the head of a garage owner in Plymouth and threatened to pull the trigger.  The men burst in when the owner was closing and, after dragging him and an apprentice upstairs, bound him and made off with cash.  Police believe they may have been responsible for another raid in Plymouth at a takeaway restaurant.

Worcester News, 22 November 2006 *

A paper girl, aged 13, was shot between the eyes with a ball-bearing gun while delivering newspapers in Worcester.  A gang of youths were involved in the attack.  The youth who shot her was described as being aged between 14 and 16.  The victim's mother believes her daughter could have lost an eye.  Two youths have been charged with assault and possessing an imitation firearm (BBC, 1 December 2006).

This is Lancashire, 22 November 2006 *

A drunken man, armed with an air rifle, and two accomplices burst into a house in Colne in April 2006 leaving a 10-year-old girl to flee in terror.  Christopher Costello, who was carrying the gun, Ian Jackson and Ashley Cullen, all 18, admitted a charge of affray.  They were looking for a man they claimed had carried out an alleged indecent assault.  The man was not there at the time.  Costello was given a 12-month community order with three-month nightly curfew, Jackson got 40 weeks in prison, suspended for 52 weeks, with supervision and 100 hours unpaid work, and Cullen a similar sentence.  Jackson was subsequently jailed for 40 weeks after flouting his community order (Citizen (Burnley), 6 August 2007).

Reuters, 22 November 2006 *

Three men, Robert Tyrer, Jamie Tyrer and Kenneth Lloyd from Manchester, were sentenced to a total of 37 years in prison for their role in a large gun import racket.  Two other men will be sentenced later.  The gang smuggled blank-firing guns bought legally in Germany into Britain and then converted them to fire bullets.  Most of the guns were simply posted from Germany to Britain in large parcels.  The plot was discovered after a parcel of 14 guns was mistakenly delivered to a shop in a Manchester suburb.  The gang sold the guns, bought for about £80, for £750 after modification.  Some of the guns, 109 out of 274, have been recovered by police.  One of the guns was used in a raid on a Lancashire sub-post office in which the gun was fired, narrowly missing the sub-postmaster.  In October 2005 two men, John Welsby and Maiden Martin were jailed for 13 years and 6 months, respectively, for that robbery.  The sub-postmaster, Jagdish Patel, and his father Kantilal Patel have received bravery awards for chasing and helping to catch the men who had fled empty-handed.  Mr Patel has called for stricter weapon controls (Asian News, 19 December 2006).

Chard & Ilminster News, 22 November 2006

Police dealing with anti-social behaviour during one evening in Ilminster confiscated a BB gun after a 12-year-old boy was seen firing it at a can on a wall.  The officer concerned was worried that a pram behind the wall could have been hit.  The father of the boy criticised the police for confiscating the weapon.

BBC, 22 November 2006 *

A Metropolitan Police officer has been arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life after an incident involving a newspaper reporter in West Thurrock, Essex.  The man is in custody.  He faces charges of dangerous driving, possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear and false imprisonment (see July 2007 Incidents).

Avon & Somerset Constabulary, 22 November 2006

Police are warning parents not to be tempted to buy imitation guns for their children this Christmas.  Burnham and Highbridge police have been called to three incidents in the last four days in which imitation guns have been seen by members of the public, prompting emergency calls.  One police officer said that a number of shops and local market stall are selling imitation weapons. 

The Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 will make it illegal to sell, manufacture and import imitation guns.  GCN considers it totally irresponsible for anyone to continue selling them at this time.

National Newspapers, 21 November 2006

A gang of three men held a gun to an eight-year-old boy's head as they stole his mother's car at a filling station in Cheadle.  His mother was vacuuming the car when the gang of three approached and pointed a handgun and dragged the boy from the car.  They drove off in the car which was later found abandoned in Fallowfield after it had collided with a bus.

This is Wiltshire, 20 November 2006

Two masked men robbed a security guard at gunpoint outside a supermarket in Trowbridge.  The men escaped with thousands of pounds after the attack.

BBC, 21 November 2006 *

A man who was walking along a street in Netherley, Merseyside, was shot and later died from his injuries.  Two men are on trial for his murder (Liverpool Echo, 26 June 2008).

Sheffield Today, 20 November 2006

Joe Mitchell was spotted by police acting suspiciously in a park in Parson Cross who caught him with a sawn-off rifle and ammunition.  He was followed to the house of his stepfather, Paul Dawson, whom police found trying to hide the weapon.  The rifle was a converted air rifle, the barrel shortened and a silencer attached.  Both men pleaded guilty to possessing the Martini Action rifle without a certificate, having a firearm in a public place and a silencer attached.  Mitchell was sentenced to 12 months in a young offenders' institution, Dawson was given a community order and 100 hours of unpaid work.

The Press (York), 20 November 2006

Gilbert Alexander Cook, a released murderer, broke his parole conditions by carrying an air rifle.  He was seen on Strensall Common with a friend and two air rifles, which at one point were worn openly on their shoulders.  They told two members of the public that they were looking for rabbits.  The case was adjourned.  The Home Office will make a final decision on whether Cook is recalled to prison to continue serving his life sentence.

Gazette & Herald, 20 November 2006 *

Armed police surrounded a block of flats in Melksham, Wiltshire, after a stand-off with a gunman.  A stun gun was used to disarm the man who was arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.  The man has been given a suspended jail sentence after admitting a charge of affray (see February 2007 Incidents).

BBC, 20 November 2006

Three men armed with two guns threatened security staff near a cash machine at a supermarket in Great Barr, Birmingham.  An amount of cash was stolen.

BBC, 19 November 2006 *

A man was shot dead in a bar in Shoreditch, east London, while celebrating a friend's birthday.  There was an argument with another man which police said led to the shooting.

Eastbourne Today, 18 November 2006

Police were called to a street in Eastbourne after a member of the public claimed to have seen a man with a gun.  A man was searched but no gun was found, although he was charged with possession of an offensive weapon.

BBC, 18 November 2006

Two robbers forced a female security guard to the floor and threatened her with a handgun in a robbery outside a bank in Oxted, Surrey.  Cash was taken from a security van before the men drove off.

This is Wiltshire, 17 November 2006

Gary Burbridge, a murderer released on licence after serving 10 years for beating a toddler to death, could be returning to jail after being caught with a firearm.  He was with two teenagers on a canal towpath in Hilperton when police were called to investigate reports of someone firing an air rifle.  He was observed apparently kneeling and looking through the scope of the gun, but ran off.  He went to a police station the next day and handed over the rifle.  He claims he didn't fire the gun.  He was specifically banned from possessing a firearm on the terms of his licence.  The case was adjourned and Burbridge released on conditional bail.

Oxford Mail, 17 November 2006

A gunman fired a pellet from an airgun which shattered the rear window of a van.  It appears the gunman was a motorist angry at being blocked off at a roundabout at the M40 services at Wheatley.  He had followed the van driver for seven miles before the shooting incident, which took place at Thame (Oxford Mail, 18 November 2006).

Citizen (Blackburn), 17 November 2006

Taxi drivers in Blackburn are threatening to stop working at night after a driver had a gun held to his head by two hooded raiders in Bank Top.  The robbers attempted to steal cash and the car but left with neither.

BBC, 17 November 2006

Two people are being held on suspicion of conspiracy to rob after an attack in Lozells in Birmingham in which a ball bearing or pellet gun was fired and two shopkeepers were left with facial injuries.  Both victims require surgery.  The incident may be linked to the murder of a man in nearby Newtown (see below).

BBC, 17 November 2006

A 20-year-old was shot dead in a possible revenge attack in Newtown, Birmingham.  A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

BBC, 17 November 2006

Four people were taken to hospital with minor injuries after a shotgun was fired through the glass door of a pub in Sheffield.  The police believe the incident followed a dispute between two groups of people in the area.

BBC, 17 November 2006

Two men armed with shotguns robbed a post office in the village of Northwold, Norfolk.  No shots were fired and no-one was injured although the postmistress was left extremely shaken by the incident.

This is Cheshire, 16 November 2006

Police are hunting a gunman who held up a store in Widnes.  He produced a black handgun and demanded that the safe was opened.  But he panicked and fled empty-handed.

The Press (York), 16 November 2006

A court has heard how a teenager was shot three times by a man wielding an air pistol in a residential street in York in February 2006.  The man, who has denied possessing a firearm with intent to make the victim fear unlawful violence and wounding the youth, is alleged to have pulled his weapon out from his clothing without warning as the victim and his friends were walking home.  A pellet had to be removed by surgery from the 17-year-old's face and he was also shot in the hand and leg.  The incident is alleged to have followed a fight between one of the victim's friends and a housemate of the accused.  The trial continues.

Northern Echo, 16 November 2006

A female security guard was held at gunpoint during an armed raid at a supermarket in Eaglescliffe.  Two men armed with handguns forced the woman to hand over money then ran into a nearby housing estate.

Milton Keynes Today, 16 November 2006

A woman teacher was confronted by two young men whilst working alone in a classroom of a school in Bletchley.  One of the youths produced what looked like a gun and demanded she hand over her valuables.  She gave them only a school bag and they left, but searched other rooms and offices.  The incident has sparked fears about security at the school.  Three people, two aged 18 and one 16, have been arrested and were questioned before being released on police bail.

Horsham Today, 16 November 2006

A Horsham resident with a ball bearing gun was arrested during the town's Remembrance Day parade.  The person was spotted leaning out of the window of a flat with the gun, and was given a caution.  The gun was destroyed.

Harlow Star, 16 November 2006

A security guard was threatened at gunpoint during a raid on a bank in Epping.  Two men, one of whom was brandishing a gun ordered the guard to hand over the cash box he was carrying.

East London and West Essex Guardian, 16 November 2006

The paper had reported that a live round of ammunition, a .22 calibre short round, had been found in Walthamstow High Street, in the doorway of a shop.  Since the article was posted on the website the paper had been bombarded with e-mails, all but one from the USA, questioning why this should be an issue.  Many boasted that they carried a handful of bullets around in their pockets.  However the law is very different here, and as a local councillor said, "As far as the council and the police are concerned, this a serious offence.  It [the bullet] could not have got there by any legal means."

Dearne Today, 16 November 2006

A gunman opened fire on two men during a car chase through the streets of Thumscoe following a raid on a post office.  The men were pursuing three robbers who had entered the post office, brandishing a handgun.  They forced customers to lie face down on the floor while they stole money from security guards who were refilling a cash machine.

Citizen (Chorley), 16 November 2006

A female sales assistant at a store in Croston was confronted by two raiders, one whom was brandishing what appeared to be a handgun.  A small amount of cash and a safe were stolen.

Cambs24, 16 November 2006

A masked armed robber threatened a security guard with a handgun before stealing a money box from a bank in Stansted.  An undisclosed amount of money was taken.

BBC, 16 November 2006 *

Three armed burglars, who battered a woman to death and stole her car, went on to attack another family in Hillingdon where a man and his two children were asleep.  One of them brandished a fake gun while another fetched one of the children from her room and held a knife to her throat.  They were forced to escape when the father grabbed the gun and used it to hit all three of them.  He was stabbed in the knee.  Two brothers, Dean Atkins and Michael Atkins, have been convicted of murder, aggravated burglary, wounding and possessing an imitation firearm.  The third man involved, Thomas Carty, committed suicide while on remand (BBC, 26 February 2008).

Herts24, 15 November 2006

Garry Shales waved a loaded air pistol (a replica of a Walther handgun) in his ex-girlfriend's face.  He pleaded guilty to possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.  He had used the gun in the back garden to fire at objects around the garden.  Shales had attacked the woman as she got into a friend's car in Hatfield on May 2006.  He had already been spared a prison sentence after a previous attack.  He was sentenced to 20 months in prison.

Huddersfield Daily Examiner, 15 November 2006

A robber with a silver pistol raided a post office in Birchencliffe and threatened staff with the gun.  They were forced to hand over cash.  The man fled and was driven away by an accomplice.  The staff had suffered a similar ordeal four weeks earlier.

Cambs24, 15 November 2006

A man from March pleaded not guilty when he faced charges of possessing a firearm, a TX200 air rifle, without a certificate and ammunition without a certificate, both charges contravening Section 1 of the Firearms Act.  He has been released on unconditional bail.

ic Croydon, 14 November 2006

A man and a woman have been arrested after two bus passengers suffered stab wounds in Wallington.  The man was charged with two counts of grievous bodily harm, two counts of assaulting police officers and both were charged with possession of two shotguns and one handgun, two counts of possessing ammunition of possessing cocaine with intent to supply.

This is Bradford, 13 November 2006

A man is being guarded by police in hospital following a suspected gun incident in Great Horton.  The incident followed a serious public order incident in Wrose, Shipley, to which it is being linked.  The police have not confirmed all the details.

South Essex Echo, 13 November 2006 

Armed police swooped on a 15-year-old girl's birthday party after gun-wielding thugs tried to gatecrash. A group of 20 youths stormed the party in Southend. One friend was left bleeding from a wound to his head after being hit by a gun. The party on Saturday evening started with a group of girls being turned away because they were not invited.

BBC, 13 November 2006

An air rifle, pellets and cannabis were seized from a house in Sheerness, Kent, after an alleged assault in which a man was hit with a pellet whilst walking in the street.

BBC, 13 November 2006

Traffic in the city centre of Bath was halted as police came to the aid of a taxi driver who was being held at gunpoint.  Three men apparently threatened the driver with a gun.  A man was disarmed and all three were taken away by police.  What's believed to be an imitation firearm was recovered (Avon & Somerset Constabulary, 14 November 2006).

Sunday Sun, 12 November 2006 

A 16-year-old boy was said to be in custody after a firearms incident in Blakelaw, Tyneside.

Sunday Sun, 12 November 2006 

The house of a man cleared of murder was yesterday the target of a gunman.  The man was asleep upstairs in his house in Cowgate, Newcastle, when a gold-coloured bullet smashed through a window and landed in the living room where his terrified girlfriend was watching TV.

Bedfordshire on Sunday, 12 November 2006

Children were warned about the dangers of carrying imitation firearms after a policeman confiscated a number of BB guns.  A man had been hit in the face by a plastic pellet from a gun fired by a young child in Brickhill.  Police found that children aged 9 and 10 had been playing in the street with three of these weapons.

BBC, 12 November 2006

Three youths have been arrested after police received reports that people were being targeted by air rifles at Penshaw, near Washington.  Members of the public became worried about their safety.  Several air rifles were seized.

BBC, 12 November 2006 *

A 25-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the shooting of a police officer in the Graiseley area of Wolverhampton.  The constable was shot twice in the shoulder at close range after he and a colleague chased a man seen acting suspiciously.  He is in a serious but stable condition in hospital.  A man is in court facing charges of attempted murder and two counts of possessing a firearm (see June 2007 Incidents).

Portsmouth.co.uk, 11 November 2006

A man armed with several kitchen knives was immobilised with a Taser stun-gun and arrested by police in Wymering.

Sheffield Today, 10 November 2006

A masked gunman opened fire on a home in High Green.  A man wearing a balaclava pointed a twin-barrelled shotgun at the house and fired repeatedly, hitting brickwork.  He then shot at the front grille of the family's van which was parked in the street.  Police officers recovered ammunition casing outside the house.

This is Hampshire, 9 November 2006

A teenager was injured when a fellow pupil fired a ball-bearing gun in the canteen of a school in Chandler's Ford.  He was hit near his right eye when the other pupil was "playing" with the plastic gun before lessons.  He has suffered from a sore eye and blurred vision since the incident.  A 15-year-old was arrested and cautioned for possessing an air weapon in a public place.  The gun was destroyed.

Eastern Daily Press, 9 November 2006

A man has been accused of threatening two security guards with a double barrelled sawn off shotgun.  Police surrounded a vehicle in the car park of a pub in Stiffkey after an earlier incident in which the guards were threatened at a caravan park at Wells.  A man was arrested on suspicion of firearms offences and then sectioned under the Mental Health Act at a secure hospital.

Morecambe Today, 8 November 2006

In the last 12 months there have been 35 instances of vandalism on churches in Morecambe.  Among the damage caused have been windows that have been smashed with ball bearing guns.

Manchester Evening News, 8 November 2006

A boy of five was shot in the head after a group of youngsters were apparently targeted with airguns.  The boy was yards from the back door of his house in Hollinwood when he was hit on the temple by a lead pellet.  He was taken to hospital and has made a full recovery.  Two men, aged 18 and 20, have been bailed on suspicion of assault and possession of an air weapon.

ic Solihull, 8 November 2006

A shop assistant in a video store in Monkspath was shot in the eye with an airgun by armed raiders.   The victim is recovering at home after being rushed to hospital with serious bruising and internal bleeding.  According to a colleague he is "still not out of the woods".  After firing the gun the raiders made a run for it empty handed.  CCTV footage is being reviewed (Birmingham Mail, 13 November 2006).

Cirencester.co.uk, 8 November 2006

Police are appealing for witnesses after receiving a report of shots being fired from what is believed to be a BB gun in Cirencester. The shots came from a black sports car as it travelled through the town centre.

Luton Today, 6 November 2006

A motorist was shot in the foot by a gunman after his car was rammed in Slip End.  The victim was forced to run onto the nearby M1 in a bid to escape his attackers.

ic Birmingham, 6 November 2006

A man was fighting for his life in hospital after being shot repeatedly at point-blank range on a busy street in Birmingham.  Police were questioning three men, all aged in their 20s, who were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.  A firearm was recovered.

The Citizen (Blackburn), 6 November 2006

Nicola Eyre and Jade Walker shot a pub manager with a stun gun and stole £1000 for a shopping trip to the Trafford Centre.  Eyre was a former employee of the pub on the Blackburn and Oswaldtwistle border and her voice was recognised.  Both women pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of a prohibited weapon and were jailed for two years.

Cambridge Evening News, 6 November 2006

A man who was cycling back from a routine shopping trip in Fulbourn was the victim of a drive by shooting.  A gang took a potshot from a passing car and the airgun pellet that lodged in the man's thigh had to be removed by surgery.

This is Nottingham, 4 November 2006

Anthony Billson has been jailed after buying a stun gun on the internet out of "curiosity".  He had used the weapon, which is illegal, once when he was drunk.  The weapon was discovered in a shoe box at his home in Sutton-in-Ashfield in June 2006 along with drug equipment, cannabis and amphetamines.  He admitted possession of the drugs and the weapon but said he had not realised the gun was a prohibited weapon.  Billson was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Press Association, 4 November 2006

A former Coronation Street star is to be questioned by police after a gun and ammunition were allegedly found during a raid at his home in Salford.

BBC, 4 November 2006

Four people, three of them teenagers, have been arrested after a series of paintball gun attacks in west Berkshire.  They are thought to be linked and follow a burglary at a paintball centre in Pangbourne in October 2006.  Three teenagers and a woman have all had paintballs fired at them, causing minor injuries, and a number of homes have been hit.

Peterborough Today, 3 November 2006

A man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and firearms offences following an incident in which a bullet was fired through the window of a flat in the centre of Peterborough in October 2006.

Personal Communication, 3 November 2006

A mother from Oxfordshire wrote to us because we had not seen a report about her son's shooting with an air rifle earlier this year.  We have now added the incident to the list for April 2006.  The incident was another serious airgun incident involving a young teenager, and we believe it is important to provide more details (see Personal Accounts).

Guardian, 3 November 2006

Carl Dobson and his associate Anthony Green were jailed for a minimum of 30 years for murder for a revenge attack on a music producer in a row over lyrics which allegedly insulted Dobson's half-brother.  A handgun was held to the victim's head before he was shot in the back as he tried to escape.  He was also shot in the leg with a Mac-10 machine gun.  The murder took place in Chingford in November 2005 (This is Local London, 3 November 2006) (see Incidents).