The Metropolitan Police Service

01/28/2023 | News release | Distributed by Public on 01/28/2023 02:05

Teenagers sentenced for firearms offences

Two teenagers have been sentenced for firearms offences after one shot himself in the foot with a shotgun.

A 17-year-old male, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced to a 12-month referral order at Kingston Crown Court on Friday, 27 January after he shot himself in the foot with a shotgun.

He pleaded guilty at the same court on 1 December 2022 to being in possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

His co-defendant, Tyrese Campbell, 19 (14.03.03), of Chrislea Close, Hounslow, was sentenced to 14 months' imprisonment on Friday, 27 January, after pleading guilty to carrying a firearm in a public place at the same court on 1 December 2022.

The court heard that shortly after 23:55hrs on 11 March 2022, the 17-year-old attended hospital with a gunshot injury to the foot stating he had been shot.

Officers carried out enquiries and due to the nature of his injury established that his account was untrue. Witnesses and CCTV enquiries identified that he had accidentally discharged a shotgun - that was concealed in his waistband - into his foot whilst on Lionel Road North, TW8.

The investigation found another teenager, Campbell, was with the 17-year-old at the time of the incident and took the firearm away with him.

Detective Constable Katie Newton, the investigating officer from the Specialist Crime Command, said: "The 17-year-old and Campbell were illegally in possession of the shotgun, and they clearly only had it with the intention to cause fear of violence - or worse.

"We know gun crime is closely linked to gangs, drugs markets and organised crime groups and we will stop at nothing to disrupt the supply of firearms on the streets of London.

"But we can't do this alone. We can reduce gun crime far quicker if members of the public provide us with information about where firearms are being stored and who they are being used by."

Anyone with information about firearms or other weapons should call police on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.