Pair who terrorised their neighbours with imitation gun in Peterborough street jailed

During the incident on November 8 last year, Leah Smith, 43, of Bringhurst, in Orton Goldhay, Peterborough, and Craig Garton, 52, of Tuxford Road in Boughton, Nottinghamshire, knocked on the doors of Smith’s neighbours and confronted them with the air pistol in what Smith hoped would be a show of strength.

It was then she realised she had approached the wrong house so the pair made their way to the house of the intended victim and pointed the weapon into his home.

Residents called the police who arrested Smith and Garton at a nearby property. When they made the arrest Garton was found with the air pistol tucked into his trousers and was also in possession of a small bag of amphetamine. Both offenders had been drinking.

On Thursday December 22 Garton appeared at Cambridge Crown Court and pleaded guilty to possessing an imitation firearm in a public place and on Wednesday, December 21 Smith appeared at Cambridge Crown Court and pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

The pair appeared at Peterborough Crown Court on Tuesday (January 24) for sentencing. Smith was sentenced to 12 months in prison for possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and Garton, who provided the air rifle, received a six-month sentence.

Detective Constable Josh Coe said: “These sentences reflect the seriousness of the offence. Air weapons are not safe alternatives to real firearms, they are dangerous weapons that cause serious harm, and the police and the courts do not tolerate them.”