Shotgun man is jailed for public's protection

Leeds Crown Court heard yesterday Kyle Horton had gone into the Anglers in Grove Lea, Pontefract, on the evening of March 21 without a shirt, carrying a bottle of whisky and shouting aggressively that he intended to "wreck the place" .

He was told by one customer playing pool "you'll do no such thing," said Simon Haring, prosecuting. He and others present then ejected Horton from the club, punching him in the process.

Horton then vowed to go home for his gun and 20-30 minutes later as Jonathan Grimshaw, who had not been involved earlier, was standing outside using his phone he heard the sound of a gun clicking and saw Horton had returned with the shotgun.

As he and another man turned to go inside they heard a loud bang and Mr Grimshaw felt a sharp pain in his right calf as he was hit by three shot pellets.

They went into the club and the police were called.

Mr Haring said Horton, who was on licence from prison at the time from a two-year sentence imposed for an earlier wounding offence, was subsequently arrested and later pointed out to police on an aerial photograph where he had hidden the gun which was then recovered.

Paul Lawton, for Horton, said he had fired at the wall not intending to hurt anybody but in anger at his treatment earlier at the premises.

Horton, 23, of Harewood Avenue, Pontefract, admitted assaulting Mr Grimshaw, possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life, possessing a firearm when prohibited from doing so and having a shotgun without a certificate.

He was given an indeterminate sentence for public protection. Judge Rodney Grant ordered him to serve a minimum of two years 313 days before he can apply for parole but warned he would only be released when deemed "not to pose any risk of significant harm to the public".