Thug carried out Rotherham "revenge" shooting just one week after his release prison for pointing gun at cops
A “dangerous” thug fired a gun into a ground floor flat just a week after being released from prison for pointing a gun at police officers.
Craig Berridge carried out the shooting on Dawson Avenue in Rawmarsh, Rotherham, as a “revenge” attack for “disparaging” social media comments made online about his friend and former co-accused, Sheffield Crown Court heard.
Berridge was in prison serving a 13-and-a-half year sentence when his co-accused, with whom he carried out a petrol station kidnap during which a victim was stabbed with a samurai sword, passed away, the court was told. During the course of the incident, Berridge pointed a gun at officers, telling them words to the effect of “back off.”
His co-accused is believed to have been the one to carry out the samurai sword stabbing, the court heard.
Upon Berridge’s release from prison, he discovered that a number of people had reportedly made unpleasant social media comments about his late friend.
A hearing held today (January 14, 2026) was told that Berridge attended at the home of individuals he believed to be responsible for the comments just a week after he was freed from custody, first armed with a knife, and then a gun.
Handing Berridge a six-year prison sentence, Judge David Dixon described Berridge’s behaviour as “horrifying in the extreme.”
He told him: “It seems you went on social media, your co-accused to the original offences was being referred to in comments. You took those comments to be disparaging.”
“A week after you were released from custody, a week after you managed to obtain your liberty…you found a knife.”
“You went round to the individuals you thought were responsible for bad-mouthing your friend…you said words to the effect of: ‘I’ve been away for six-and-a-half years but I’m back’.
“You left and challenged a number of people as to whether they were the individuals you were looking for.”
Berridge, aged 46, subsequently left the area before returning around two hours later, armed with what prosecutor Giles Grant described as a “garden” shotgun.
Describing what happened next, Judge Dixon continued: “You walked to the side of the property…you raised your arm, adjusted your stance, and fired a shot through the window.”
Worryingly, it was not possible to see inside the property, due to a net curtain obstructing the view of the interior of the flat, when Berridge, formerly of Grange Road, Rawmarsh, Rotherham, fired the shot through the kitchen window.
“The risk that someone was standing in that kitchen was monumental,” Judge Dixon said.
No-one was injured in the incident, which occurred on November 25, 2024, however.
Judge Dixon said the “frightening” incident, carried out just a week after he was released from another sentence involving firearms, demonstrates that Berridge experiences a “lack of control” when loses his temper.
Berridge, continued Judge Dixon, therefore meets the legal criteria for a “dangerous offender” and consequently made him the subject of a four-year extended licence, bringing his total sentence to one of 10 years - the maximum for the offences Berridge was charged with.
“You are best described as having been out for revenge…and clearly relates to the earlier offences,” udge Dixon continued.
“I take the view you are at risk of committing further specified offences…and must be considered a dangerous offender.”
Mr Grant told the court that following the incident, Berridge was recalled to prison on licence from his previous sentence, which does not expire until December 2031.
Berridge, who has an extensive criminal record of 60 previous offences from 18 convictions, pleaded guilty to charges of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, affray and possessing a bladed article in a public place at an earlier hearing.
The court was told that Berridge was initially charged with an alternative firearm count of possessing a shotgun with intent to endanger life/enable another to do so, which carries a longer sentence than the one he has been convicted of.
Both sets of counsel and the judge agreed, however, that the defendant’s conduct fell just short of the criteria for that offence.
Defending, Richard Barradell said Berridge wished, through him, to apologise, “firstly to the court, then to his victims, then to his partner and parents.”
Mr Barradell said Berridge’s father, who was observing proceedings over a video link, is “struggling with grade 4 cancer.”
“[Berridge] has to grapple with the position he’s put himself in,” Mr Barradell said.
He continued by saying Berridge knows he is to “serve a good few years,” and wants the court to know he intends to use the time to try and deal with his issues.”
Mr Barradell drew the judge’s attention to the delay in the case, asserting that Berridge indicated guilty pleas in January 2025, but they were not accepted until October of that year.
This, Mr Barradell suggested, resulted in Berridge serving 10 months of “dead time” behind bars.
Judge Dixon said he had taken that stint behind bars into consideration when arriving at the correct length of sentence for the firearm offence, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years.
He also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the knife Berridge used in the incident.
Speaking after Berridge was jailed, Detective Inspector Claire Moss said: "Craig Berridge is a dangerous man. He took a firearm and with no thought for anyone else's safety discharged it at a property before casually walking away like nothing had happened.
"We want to be clear that firearms enabled criminality has no place in South Yorkshire and our dedicated Armed Crime Team works relentlessly to tackle gun crime, proactively targeting individuals linked to firearms, as well as organised crime groups who are often responsible for the vast majority of firearms offences.
"It is vital we work in conjunction with local communities and partners to tackle gun crime and we would encourage anyone with concerns about firearms or gun crime in their local area to please get in contact with us.
"We know some of you may not wish to be associated with the police – but you can still play your part. Contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or Crimestoppers-uk.org. Everything reported through Crimestoppers is 100% anonymous and confidential, you will never be identified."