‘Turf war’ teen to be locked up for longer

A probation officer’s report described him as ‘very immature’ and said he had shown ‘some remorse.’

But Bill Emlyn Jones, for the Attorney General, argued that Cato had got off far too lightly.

There was more than one firearm involved and the weapons were discharged on a total of three separate occasions, he said.

Carl Kingsley, for Cato, argued that although his sentence was lenient, it was not ‘unduly so.’

He pointed to Cato’s ADHD and autism spectrum disorder.

But Lord Justice McCombe said there were ‘three separate shooting incidents’ and ‘also serious drug dealing offences.’

Upping Cato’s punishment, the judge concluded: “This total sentence was undoubtedly unduly lenient.”

Leeds Crown Court previously heard that on July 22 last year shots were fired from a car on Dalton Fold Road at two girls who ran into a nearby garden. Another shooting took place five days later after taxi driver Asif Khan picked up four males from a house in Dalton and drove them to Holays.

When the passengers got out of the taxi, a vehicle passed by and shots were fired towards the taxi.

Mr Khan was seriously injured as the pellets were lodged in his back.

Det Chief Insp Jaz Khan, of West Yorkshire Police’s Firearms Prevent Team, who led the investigation, said: “We didn’t feel that the original term truly reflected the seriousness of the crime.

“We worked closely with the review unit in London to successfully appeal this case. This nine year sentence demonstrates to the communities of Kirklees how seriously we take firearms offences and that we will bring offenders to justice. It should be a warning to those who carry weapons.”