Shotgun-wielding businessman threatened builders in attempted van robbery
A business owner took a shotgun from his former father-in-law’s house then used it in an attempted robbery where he demanded two builders hand over their works van at gunpoint.
Oliver Battye, 36, took the double-barrelled shotgun from the property in Scarborough before driving to the nearby village of Burniston and pointing the firearm at two workmen.
Prosecutors said Battye, a former Scarborough Rugby League player who was going through a breakdown at the time, left the builders ‘frozen’ with shock when he demanded they get out their work vehicle and leave the keys.
Hours earlier, Battye had driven off in his van with the shotgun and during his journey had blasted two holes in his windscreen, later telling police: “I didn’t want to hurt anyone. I just wanted to kill myself.”
He then drove through Burniston where two named builders, who were brothers, were working on a property in the village.
As they drove to their job, they passed Battye’s vehicle which stopped to let them reverse into the driveway of the property.
Prosecutor Halima Kamran told York Crown Court: “They saw bullet holes in the windscreen (of Battye’s vehicle).
“(Battye) stopped his van 20 yards down the road, got out, approached the two men and pointed the gun towards (their) vehicle and told them to get out and leave their keys.”
Battye pointed the gun at the face of the brother in the driver’s seat and told him: “Leave the keys. I’m serious.”
At first the two brothers “froze” with shock and didn’t react, then Battye “raised the gun slightly in the direction of the other brother” and repeated the demand.
This time they left the keys in the ignition and got out of the van. Battye got into the vehicle and tried to start it but failed, before returning to his own vehicle and driving away.
Battye was spotted soon after at his ex-wife’s property by a firearms officer, and was arrested.
Ms Kamran said it was unknown whether or not the gun was loaded at the time.
Battye was taken into custody at Scarborough Police Station where he told officers: “Apart from the shotgun, I’ve done nowt.”
He said: “I didn’t want to hurt anyone. I just wanted to kill myself.”
He told police that before the incident he had taken cocaine and paracetamol and had been drinking white wine and gin.
He was charged with carrying a firearm while carrying out an attempted robbery, as well as burgling his former father-in-law’s home.
He admitted the firearm offence and attempted robbery, saying he had tried to take the workmen’s van so he could “leave the scene quickly” and kill himself.
Defence barrister Jeremy Barton said that Battye hadn’t taken the gun to harm anybody other than himself, adding he “clearly had some form of mental breakdown (due to) the circumstances he was going through at the time.”
Mr Barton said that glowing character references showed that Battye was otherwise of “extremely good character” as evidenced by “the work he does in the community” and “all the good work he has done for others through Scarborough Pirates Rugby League Club” which folded in 2019.
Jailing him for two years and four months, Judge Simon Hickey told Battye that he must have planned the whole “extremely serious” incident “even in your fragile mental state” because he knew that his ex-father-in-law “had guns in his gun cabinet”.
He said he would sentence Battye on the basis that it was unknown whether the gun was loaded or not when he pointed it at the builders.
He said it was clear that Battye was “in drink and maybe you had ingested some drugs” at the time.
Mr Hickey recorded a formal not-guilty verdict on the burglary charge.