Drunk man fired air gun at pub-goers after row

ARMED POLICE CALLED AFTER REPORTS OF GUNMAN AT DISTURBANCE

AN irate villager twice fired an air rifle outside his home after a drunken row with customers in a pub across the road.

Armed police were called after receiving reports of a gunman behaving in a threatening manner in the street.

“Bangs” from shots could be heard by call handlers during 999 calls.

The incident happened in Long Furrow, East Goscote, near Syston, on the night of Sunday, August 1.

Leicester Crown Court was told that 23-year-old Adam Robinson had earlier visited The Plough, to celebrate the relaxation of lockdown rules, but got into an altercation with some customers after having too much to drink and behaved in “a loutish” manner.

Stephen Donnelly, prosecuting, said the defendant challenged someone outside to a fight, before going home.

But soon after, some pub-goers caused a disturbance at his home, while Robinson shouted from an upstairs window.

Robinson’s mother suffered a cut face while trying to stop intruders coming into the house, while his pregnant girlfriend was also present.

Robinson then grabbed an air gun, went outside and fired it towards the pub, as people took cover.

Mr Donnelly said some onlookers recognised the sound of an air rifle with “two pings hitting a metal surface” and others saw “a puff of air” from the barrel.

Robinson retreated indoors but then re-emerged wielding a mop or broom handle.

A member of staff later told the police she thought it was a real gun, causing her to run for cover.

Robinson was arrested by armed officers and the air rifle was recovered outside a nearby GP’s surgery.

He told the police there was an altercation in the pub and someone caused an injury to his hand, but he did not remember what had happened.

Sentencing, Recorder Graham Huston said: “This was a very serious incident, on the face of it, involving the use of an air rifle and discharging it in the general direction of members of the public.

“For the most part, those outside recognised it as an air rifle and weren’t particularly concerned, but others were, quite rightly, frightened.

“The background to this is not entirely without dispute, but after you created some sort of incident in the pub a group of men sought to obtain some sort revenge and tried to gain entry your address to beat you up.

“Your mother and pregnant girlfriend were there and it was they who met this group, and as they tried to hold the group back they sustained injury, in particular, your mother was seen with blood on her face.

“As a consequence of that you went outside with the air gun and waved it about and discharged it on two occasions.

“It was an air rifle, not the most serious type of firearm. There was provocation on this day and whilst the prosecution doesn’t accept, in their entirety, the statements of your mother and girlfriend there are significant witness reports to support much of what they say. “You immediately regretted having lost your temper, it was done in the heat of the moment, as an expression of frustration.” Robinson admitted possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

He was given a 22-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, and will have to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

He was ordered to pay £500 costs.