South Yorkshire man fired sawn-off shotgun to threaten girlfriend's family

David Medlam drove to his partner's dad’s house in Barnsley on February 15, and showed the single-barrelled sawn-off shotgun before saying: "You're both getting this."

The complainant's grandchildren, aged seven, ten and 11, were in the garden, and Medlam said: "It's a good job the bairns are there."

Both men hurled bricks at Medlam's black Citroen as it drove off, smashing the rear window, prosecutor Ian Brook said.

Medlam drove 100 yards down the road, before stopping, pointing the weapon into the air and firing once.

An armed response team was scrambled and Medlam, and his brother, were located in Barnsley town centre.

He denied the offence when interviewed, but police retrieved the shotgun, along with six cartridges – one of which was spent – from behind the fireplace at his home that night.

The court heard Medlam's girlfriend's father and brother had argued with the defendant about her drug use earlier that day.

Richard Canning, mitigating, said: "The sentence ought to be five years. He is entitled to full credit. I could put forward mitigation but it would simply be wasting people’s time."

Medlam, 38, of Doncaster Road, Barnsley, pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing a prohibited firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, on March 16.

Judge Rachel Harrison told him: "You behaved in a criminal, reckless and, what must have been, a frightening manner."

She sentenced Medlam to five years in prison.

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