‘Dangerous’ man who shot at homes, narrowly missing occupants, and had a live grenade jailed for over a decade

On March 29, Jack Walker, 30, from west Northampton, used a stolen car to travel from Northampton to Staindrop in County Durham.

There a number of gun shots were fired at a residential property, where the occupants, including a young child, were inside.

The occupants were unharmed.

Later, the stolen vehicle used in the incident was located in Cleveland and a live grenade was found inside, which was safely destroyed by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team.

On April 12, this year, Walker used another stolen car to travel to Thornaby, where a property on Shetland Avenue was targeted and gun shots fired into a property.

Occupants at that property were “missed by a matter of inches”, a court heard.

No one was physically hurt.

The Audi used in the incident was located burnt out in Billingham later the same day.

Cleveland Police worked with Durham Police and Walker was eventually arrested and charged.

Later in April, the 30-year-old pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and assisting an offender.

Walker was sentenced to a total of 12 years and six months in prison at Teesside Crown Court on Thursday (Oct 31).

Temporary Detective Sergeant Rob Griffiths said: “These incidents clearly took a great deal of planning with dangerous weapons and stolen vehicles being sourced, along with measures to try to evade detection.

“The extensive investigation resulted in identifying those suspected to be involved, stolen vehicles recovered and prohibited weapons recovered and destroyed.

“Firearms are extremely dangerous weapons which can clearly cause serious harm or worse, death, and it was only by luck on both occasions that someone wasn’t seriously hurt.

“Today’s sentencing is welcomed and reflets the severity of the incidents and highlights the consequences of being in possession of a firearm. Jack Walker will spend a number of years reflecting on his actions and I would encourage others who are involved in such criminality to consider the consequences of engaging in it.

“The impact of these incidents extends beyond the victims and the effects are felt on whole communities. I hope today's sentencing provides reassurance to those communities and sends a clear message to those who commit such serious and dangerous offences that we will thoroughly investigate and bring those responsible to justice.”

Detective Constable Victoria Patrickson, said: “These two incidents saw a dangerous gunman attend residential addresses in both Durham and Cleveland. On the first occasion the bullets passed straight through the front door with one bullet was found lodged in a vacuum cleaner and another found wedged in an internal wall.

“On the second occasion two rounds of ammunition were again fired into a residential property, where a bullet was recovered from the media wall in the living room.

“The investigation team have successfully brought a dangerous offender to justice. Let this be a warning to others that the criminal use of firearms will not be tolerated.”

Two women, aged 31 and 30, and a 31-year-old man from Northampton, along with a 17-year-old boy from Billingham, have been released from police bail.