Teen ‘gunman’ locked up
A TEENAGE gang member who chased a man through Huddersfield town centre while armed with a ‘handgun’ has been locked up.
Byron Goodhall was subject to a gang injunction when he chased the victim through the town at 10.30am on May 30 this year.
The 18-year-old, of Blackmoorfoot Road, Crosland Moor, wore a balaclava.
Carmel Pearson, prosecuting, said the ‘scared’ victim phoned the police but refused to co-operate with the force further by providing a statement.
Police recognised the two people involved from CCTV footage.
When Goodhall’s bedroom was searched, police found clothing, as well as around £600-worth of heroin, crack cocaine and cocaine. Leeds Crown Court heard the weapon, which ‘had the appearance of a handgun,’ was never recovered so it had to be treated as a fake.
Judge Robin Mairs said: “It looked like a realistic gun and I have no doubt that it was treated by others who saw it as a real gun.”
As well as the ‘gangbo,’ Goodhall was already under investigation for drugs offences.
At around 6pm on April 27 last year, he ‘literally ran into’ officers on Dryclough Road in Crosland Moor while smelling of cannabis.
He admitted having a machete in his trousers and a ‘small amount’ of cannabis.
When they searched him they found 24 bags of cannabis worth £240.
And on October 16 last year, police found drugs and cash in the garage of his mother’s house, where he lived. Goodhall later admitted two counts of possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply, two counts of possession of Class B drugs with intent to supply and possession of an imitation firearm.
He had previous convictions for robberies and carrying knives and knuckledusters.
The court heard Goodhall’s father, a police officer, was abusive to him and his family.
Danielle Graham, mitigating, said Goodhall was “low down” the drugs chain.
Judge Robin Mairs sentenced him to four years and three months in a young offenders’ institute.
The court heard he benefited from the drugs to the value of £3,040 and he has 28 days to pay back £1,430 or he will face a further seven days in custody.