Drugged-up duo fired sawn-off shotgun at woman's bedroom window over village feud

Joshua Stevens and Luke Rushforth, both wearing homemade balaclavas, approached the victim’s Maltby home shortly before midnight, with Stevens holding the firearm.

The complainant was present in the rear bedroom of her home, with the window open, when she heard a male voice saying words to the effect of “it’s this one,” Sheffield Crown Court heard.

“She heard a really loud bang, and then the sound of debris falling,” said Andrew Nixon, prosecuting.

Mr Nixon said Stevens was the one to fire the sawn-off 12 Gauge AYA Yeoman Shotgun, which hit guttering just above the complainant’s bedroom window.

No-one was injured in the incident.

Stevens attempted to reload the firearm, but was unsuccessful, a hearing held on January 22, 2026 was told.

In a statement to the court, the complainant said she had been “badly affected” by the incident, and struggled to sleep in the weeks following it, even after temporarily staying with her father at a different address.

She described herself as someone with an “anxious” disposition, which had been exacerbated by the shooting.

The complainant said she still felt fearful that the gunmen could return, and as though she cannot open her bedroom window.

Jailing Stevens and Rushforth, Judge Anthony Dunne said the complainant had suffered “serious psychological harm” as a result of their actions.

“It’s understandable that the experience of having someone fire live ammunition at her bedroom would have those effects.”

“There was an attempt to dispose of the firearm,” Judge Dunne told the pair, adding that it was subsequently recovered a short distance away.

Stevens was issued with a life-long ban on keeping firearms and ammunition, following a 2014 conviction for wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after he and a second individual subjected a man to an attack using an axe and an air rifle, the court heard.

In addition to breaching the ban, the double-barrel shotgun used by the Steven is also a prohibited firearm.

Submissions from the defendants’ barristers revealed both men had consumed drink and drugs prior to the shooting on May 11, 2025, and were in an emotional state following a friend’s funeral.

Gordon Stables, defending Rushforth, told the court that his client had become embroiled in an ongoing dispute in the village, in which a group he associated with was being targeted by another.

“He removed himself from that group but the targeting continued,” Mr Stables told the court.

Rushforth, asserted Mr Stables, felt it necessary to remain indoors and had stopped going out altogether, such was the level of threat against him.

Rushforth stopped hiding away indoors when he was asked to be the pallbearer at the funeral of his friend.

“Following this, there was drinking and drug taking. At this point Mr Rushforth was told there was a car of men looking for him,” Mr Stables said.

He said Rushforth is “very ashamed” of the shooting that followed, and said his client was in a “heightened emotional state,” whilst intoxicated, when he made the decision to act as he did.

Helen Chapman, defending Stevens, said the incident was borne out of a dispute Rushforth had involved himself in, with Stevens coming to it “very late, very upset and whilst under the influence of cocaine.”

Ms Chapman acknowledged Stevens' previous convictions involving violence and the use of a firearm aggravated his position, but suggested he had made the decision to be the gunman because he believed Rushforth’s inexperience with firearms would have caused more damage.

She said Stevens became involved with the shooting due to a “perfect storm” of circumstances, which coincided with him taking cocaine, following a long-standing addiction of some 15 years.

Stevens has demonstrated genuine remorse for his actions, claimed Ms Chapman.

Ms Chapman stressed Stevens intentionally aimed at the guttering with a view to minimising the damage caused, because the discharge of the firearm was intended as a warning shot.

While Steven’s life has been “blighted” by a cocaine addiction, he had settled down and had been doing “quite well” after being released from his last custodial sentence, the court heard.

Stevens, aged 36, of Kingsbrook Chase, Wath Upon Dearne, Rotherham, pleaded guilty to charges of possessing a firearm when prohibited for life; possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life/enable another to do so; possessing ammunition for shotgun when prohibited for life and possessing ammunition without a valid certificate.

Rushforth, aged 24, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to charges of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life/enable another to do and possessing ammunition without a valid certificate at an earlier hearing.

Possessing a prohibited firearm carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, as ordered by parliament, unless there are deemed to be exceptional circumstances.

Continuing in his mitigation on Rushforth’s behalf, Mr Stables suggested that given his client’s young age - he was 23-years-old at the time of the shooting - level of immaturity; his genuine remorse; lack of similar offending and the efforts he has made to his time in prison on remand effectively, the court may find that exceptional circumstances apply in his case.

Judge Dunne rejected Mr Stables’ assertion, and jailed Rushforth for five years.

He handed Stevens a prison sentence of six years, along with an extended licence period of two years - bringing his total sentence to one of eight years.

Judge Dunne said he believed an extended sentence was necessary in Stevens’ case for the protection of the public, after deeming him to be a “dangerous offender” due to his pattern of using weapons, as evidenced through his 2014 conviction.

He also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the firearm used to commit the shooting.

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