Gun Incidents in Great Britain

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Rhys Chant, aged 25, jailed for three years after admitting possessing a prohibited weapon, possessing an offensive weapon in a public place and common assault on an emergency worker (spitting). In August last year, Chant confronted a group of men outside his home in Leicester, Leicestershire while armed with a stun gun, a knuckle duster and a machete. The men said they were looking for a friend of Chant’s, though one of them threatened to stab Chant during the conflict. Police intervened before anyone was injured. Chant claimed the Chinese-made stun gun, disguised as a torch, belonged to someone else, but refused to give a name. On sentencing, the judge said: “…In relation to the Taser, the law indicates a minimum sentence with a starting point of five years… I have to look at whether there are exceptional circumstances here where I don't have to impose the minimum term… There were five men bent on either a confrontation or possible violence and I find that is significant mitigation.”

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A robber used a stun gun-type weapon to threaten staff at a shop in Derby.  He was handed cash and then ran away.  It is thought no-one was injured.

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Daily Post, 19 March 2010
John Forester has admitted wounding and having a firearm in a public place.  He shot a teenage girl in the leg with a pellet whilst she was staying at a campsite near Harlech, Gwynedd, in May 2009.  Forester was camping in the area with friends and had brought the .22 air rifle with telescopic sight with him.  His victim will be permanently scarred.  He was jailed for 50 weeks, suspended for 18 months.  He will undertake 250 hours unpaid work and pay £1500 compensation.  The gun was confiscated and Forester was banned from possessing any air-powered weapon for 18 months.

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Two suspected armed robbers were arrested after firearms officers shot out the tyres of the car they were travelling in the centre of Birmingham, West Midlands. No one was injured and the pair was arrested before a third man was also later detained.

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Two men arrested and four air weapons recovered after police officers were called to a makeshift shooting range set up on parkland in Rugeley, Staffordshire. Click on media link to read full report.

South Wales Echo

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David Rees was caught in possession of a stun gun in Portmead, Swansea.  He admitted he was unlawful in possession of a prohibited weapon, a stun gun.  He also pleaded guilty to using violence for the purpose of securing entry to a home.  He will be sentenced later.