Revenge attack saw gunman fire at home
A MASKED gunman shattered a mother’s Birmingham front window when he fired two shots at it.
Fortunately the victim only suffered cuts from flying glass as a result of the shocking attack.
Ryan Gibson, 21, of Rotten Park Road, Edgbaston, who had previously admitted possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear or violence, was jailed for five years.
Chakiah Lambert, 24, of Bibsworth Avenue, who had previously admitted the same charge as well as two charges of possessing drugs with intent to supply, was sentenced to five-and-a-half years.
Lambert’s sentence is to run consecutively to a 14-year term he is currently serving in jail for conspiracy to rob.
Birmingham Crown Court was told that on March 8, 2020, the victim’s daughter, along with Gibson and Gibson’s girlfriend, had been involved in an incident at Zara’s night club in Corporation Street when slaps and punches were thrown.
On April 7 Gibson and Lambert had driven in a BMW to the victim’s home in Hockley.
She had been preparing some food for her family and had gone into the lounge for a drink.
There was a large mirror hanging on the wall through which she could see Gibson get out of the car.
He was wearing dark clothes, distinctive gloves and had a mask on, said Philip Beardwell, prosecuting.
Mr Beardwell told the court: “He moved his hand to his waistband and discharged two rounds from the gun into the window, causing the glass to shatter all over the room and causing the victim to fall to the floor. She thought she had been shot but her children had to assure her that her cuts had only been caused by the falling glass.”
Mr Beardwell said what happened had had a bad impact on the victim.
The stress caused eating problems and her hair fell out.
The gun used had never been recovered.
Mr Beardwell said when Lambert was arrested the following month police found wraps of cocaine and heroin at his home with a value of around £1,200, £135 in cash along with drugs messages.
Lambert was part of a gang whose two-week crime spree saw them steal high-value cars and tens of thousands of pounds in cash, as well as making off from a Tesco store with £71,000.
In passing sentence, Judge Sarah Buckingham said: “This was a row which should never have led to what followed but for whatever reason you, Gibson, recruited Lambert to come with you intent on revenge.”
She said the offence had involved pre-planning and it had been their intent to cause maximum distress.
Kevin Metzger, for Lambert, said he had been the driver and had only been aware shortly before the incident what was going to happen.
Grahame Russell, for Gibson, said he was a quiet young man who had struggled at school.
What he did was wholly out of character.