‘Gunman’ who caused town lockdown scare is sectioned under the Mental Health Act
51-YEAR-OLD RULED UNFIT FOR COURT PROCEEDINGS
A MAN who brought terror to the streets of a quiet town by pointing a rifle at passers-by must receive psychiatric treatment in a specialist unit, a judge has ruled.
The incident, in Quorn in November 2020, caused a school to be locked down and roads to be cordoned off as armed police moved in to detain Michael Reynolds.
Footage taken by a bystander emerged on social media showing Reynolds being restrained in the road after officers felled him with a rubber bullet.
The 51-year-old, of Castledine Street, Quorn, was charged with possessing a firearm, a .22 calibre air rifle, with intent to cause fear of violence.
However, he was ruled unfit to enter a plea at an early stage in the proceedings at Leicester Crown Court because of his ongoing ill-health.
Instead, a jury later heard evidence not to establish guilt or innocence, but to consider whether he committed the act as outlined by the prosecution. The jury decided he had.
Judge Keith Raynor has now made a hospital order under section 39 of the Mental Health Act, to ensure Reynolds continues to receive psychiatric treatment in a medium secure hospital.
The situation arose at just after midday, on Wednesday, November 11, 2020, when a motorist driving along Quorn’s High Street turned right into Sarson Street to see a man standing in the middle of the road holding a weapon, which turned out to be an air rifle.
The witness immediately alerted the police and kept an eye on the man, following him on foot from a distance into Castledine Street towards Barrow Road. Meanwhile, staff at Rawlins Academy, in Loughborough Road in the town, acted swiftly in locking down the school. Reynolds made his way into the High Street and walked towards the Co-op store, where the doors were also locked to protect staff and customers. At the corner of Sarson Street he raised the rifle and pointed it towards a bus stop near the school.
A number of sixth-formers and a member of staff were nearby at the time.
Armed response officers arrived and told Reynolds to drop the gun, which was later found to have been loaded.
A rubber bullet was fired and Reynolds ended up on the ground, where he was disarmed and arrested.
Judge Raynor said: “I determined at an earlier hearing he was unfit to plead, having considered psychiatric evidence in the case and a jury determined he did ‘the act,’ namely being in possession of the firearm.
He said that Reynolds had a “well documented mental health history” and that reports from two psychiatrists confirmed he was suffering from mental illness.
In September last year, Reynolds was transferred from prison to the hospital where he is now receiving treatment.
The judge said: “He’s been on regular medication and is responding well and has engaged with those offering help and treatment.”
He said psychiatric experts estimated that Reynolds would need between six to 12 months of further treatment before he could be gradually reintroduced back into the community with a “robust package of help and social care” that would allow for a “rapid readmission” to a psychiatric unit, if necessary.
The judge said the defendant’s condition included schizoid symptoms with paranoid delusional beliefs, auditory hallucinations and a manic depressive mood.
A motorist turned into Sarson Street to see a man standing in the middle of the road holding a weapon, which turned out to be an air rifle