Great-grandfather to be sentenced in Sheffield for killing six-year-old boy

A man is to be sentenced in Sheffield today for killing his six-year-old great-grandson with an air rifle.
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Albert Grannon, aged 78, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Stanley Metcalf during a hearing at Sheffield Crown Court last month.

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Stanley suffered a hole in the side of his abdomen when he was shot with the gun following an incident at a house in Sproatley, East Yorkshire, on July 26 last year.

Stanley MetcalfStanley Metcalf
Stanley Metcalf

Grannon also admitted possessing an air rifle without holding a firearms certificate.

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Stanley was found injured at a property and was taken to Hull Royal Infirmary, where he later died.

Albert GrannonAlbert Grannon
Albert Grannon

In a statement issued following Stanley's death, his family described him as ‘vibrant and full of energy’.

They said: "We are absolutely devastated and completely heartbroken without Stanley and it still doesn't feel real we won't see his happy, smiling face again.

"There are no real words to express how the loss of Stanley has affected us and we all miss him so much.

"Stanley was a loving, caring and beautiful boy."

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Grannon, who is on bail, is due to be sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court by a High Court Judge, Mr Justice Lavender.

At the last hearing, Judge Peter Kelson QC told the defendant: "It is important I make clear to you the mere fact I am ordering a pre-sentence report and renewing your bail should not be taken by you as any indication as to the likely sentence.

"This case, while tragic, is very serious and it's entirely possible that a prison sentence will follow and you must prepare for that."

Detective Inspector Rebecca Dickinson, who led the investigation for Humberside Police, said last month that she was pleased that Grannon - who she said had shown no remorse until that point - had ‘faced up to the enormity of his actions’.

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She said: "It is a nightmare that Stanley's family have had to live through every day since last July, and will have to live through from now on."

Describing the effect of Stanley's death on his ‘inseparable’ twin Elsie, she added: "I can only imagine what she will feel like now and when she reaches any milestones in her life, knowing that she should be sharing them with Stanley.

"There are no winners in this at all."