Mother shot teens with an airgun for ‘bullying’ her girl
A MOTHER has been spared jail despite shooting at schoolchildren with an airgun as they walked past her home.
Anne Carson fired on the group of teenagers from an open window as they passed by during lunch break.
two 14-year-olds were hit by plastic pellets during the incident in Auchinleck, Ayrshire, last May. Carson said she had started shooting at the teenagers because she thought her daughter’s school was not taking appropriate action against bullies.
At Ayr sheriff Court on Wednesday, Carson pleaded guilty to two charges of assaulting a person aged 14 by presenting and discharging a weapon and striking the victim on the body with a pellet.
Procurator fiscal ed sheeran told the court: ‘on Monday, May 21, 2018, the two school pupils were returning to school on their lunch break.
‘they were walking along old Avenue in Auchinleck. they saw the accused hanging out of the window of her home shouting she was coming to get them.’
Mr sheeran said Carson used the gun to fire at the children, with pellets striking one of them on the arm and another on the leg.
He added: ‘she climbed out of the window and started running after them. once [the children were] in the school it was reported to staff.’
the court heard police attended Carson’s home and she showed officers the gun.
defence counsel tony Currie told the court the incident related to issues which had been going on for years.
He said: ‘she has a daughter of similar age with the pupils involved. Halfway through primary, her child was the subject of bullying. she moved school for the last two years of primary but she was in high school with the pupils again.
‘the bullying involved assaults. When she reported it, it caused issues at the school.
‘As far as Ms Carson was concerned nothing was
‘This is not the Wild West’
getting done about this. A group came past, verbally abused her and she reacted in the most inappropriate way.’
Mr Currie added: ‘she has since moved and her daughter now lives in ipswich with her father to get away from the problems.’
sheriff desmond Leslie ordered Carson to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and told her: ‘Quite rightly you anticipated a custodial sentence. if you fire projectiles at children there needs to be significant consequences.
‘Having heard all the facts now, i can step back from a custodial sentence.
‘you are a woman who has had problems and continue to deal with issues but not terribly successfully. this is not the Wild West we live in.’