Rampaging gun gang instigated 'frightening' confrontation outside HMP Wakefield

A gun, thought to be an air pistol, was heard to be fired “three or four times” during the melee which was caught on CCTV on streets around the prison. Ashley Oliver, Luke Rawson and Shaun Moore, who all have lengthy criminal records, were all jailed at Leeds Crown Court this morning for their part in the confrontation.

Prosecutor Chrisopther Dunn said that a witness in a car saw one man waving a gun around near to the Henry Boon’s pub on the corner of Westgate and Parliament Street on the evening of June 7. Shortly after, a woman living close by also saw men being chased and the sound of the air pistol being fired.

The court heard that trouble began when 33-year-old Rawson wanted to confront another group from the nearby bail hostel following a dispute. Accompanied by 29-year-old Oliver and 46-year-old Moore, and another male and female, they armed themselves – with Oliver carrying an imitation gun and Moore holding a machete. They then chased the other gang who quickly fled.

However, it was accepted that the defendants did not use the gun, and it was the opposing gang who had and fired an air pistol as they retreated during the chase. The police were called and they later stopped a car containing the defendants and the weapons, including a black gas-powered ball-bearing gun.

Me Dunn described the incident as a “serious case of public disorder, with the carrying of weapons at a busy time of day.”

They each admitted affray, with Oliver admitting possessing an imitation firearm, and Moore admitting possessing a bladed article.

Rawson, of Rawson Street, Wyke, Bradford, has 24 convictions for 47 offences. Mitigating Andrew Semple said he was not carrying a weapon, but admitted it was sparked by his gripe with the other gang.

Moore, of Saville Street, Wakefield, has 21 convictions for 52 offences. Mitigating on his behalf, Daniel Penman said that he was now stable on a methadone programme because of his heroin addiction, and often self-medicated for his anxiety using alcohol.

Oliver, of Pinderfields Road, Wakefield, has 27 convictions for 42 offences. Mitigating, Richard Barradell said: "It’s clear he was worse for drink, he has been stupid and is genuinely remorseful for what he did. He has a drink problem and was bordering on blind drunk that day. One day he will have to tackle this problem.”

With all three on remand in HMP Leeds, and appearing in court via the video link, Judge Mushtaq Khokhar jailed each of them for 18 month telling them that it was a “joint enterprise”, regardless of who was carrying the weapons.

He said: “This was an unsavoury and frightening incident. It was a summer’s day and early evening and it appears that it came about because there was some form of altercation between you Rawson and some of the residents of the bail hostel.

“That was the spark that initiated this incident. It did not help that all three of you had been drinking that day.”