Sentence cut for 'gun' teen threat to door staff

[WtD_Oracle]

http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/ ... 6370704.jp

A TEENAGER who brandished a gun-shaped cigarette lighter and threatened to shoot two bouncers after they refused to let him into a nightclub has had his sentence more than halved.

Alan Price, 19, of Jevington Gardens, Eastbourne, was jailed for two years on February 26 at Brighton Crown Court after being convicted of having an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
But judges sitting at London's Criminal Appeal Court today said the sentence was excessive and reduced it to eight months.

Mr Justice Holman, sitting with Mrs Justice Rafferty, told the court the incident took place on February 14 – Valentine's Day – last year.
Price had gone to TJs nightclub and was refused entry by the door staff because he was wearing casual clothes.

The court heard he "became agitated" and told them he was in the Army, not realising the club has a policy of giving free entry to members of the armed forces.

When one of the bouncers asked to see his identification, he became aggressive, saying he had a gun and was going to shoot her.
He then showed her the cigarette lighter, which looked like a genuine gun, and said: "I've got a Colt 45 and I am going to come back and shoot you."

When the other bouncer stepped in to help his colleague, Price shouted racist abuse at him before threatening to kill him.
The court heard Price committed an offence of having a bladed article while on bail for the TJs incident, by taking a flick knife into the same nightclub in September last year, for which he was sentenced by magistrates to a 12-month community order.

He also has previous convictions for assault and criminal damage.
Lawyers acting for Price argued the judge who sentenced him hadn't given enough consideration to his youth or "difficult" background when she set the two-year term.

They also highlighted comments made in psychiatric reports that Price was "ill-equipped" to deal with custody, shown by his history of struggling to cope with being in care homes as a child.
The appeal judges said although the offence was serious, they were concerned he may have been punished twice for the flick-knife offence, because of comments made by the judge when sentencing him.

Mr Justice Holman said: "Although what was employed in this case was a cigarette lighter, the fact is that it realistically resembled a gun and the door staff were not to know that it wasn't real.
"Very serious threats were made to each of them that he would shoot them with it. This was undoubtedly serious offending.

"But we are very clearly of the view that a sentence of two years was disproportionate and manifestly excessive in this case."

[ballantyne78]

I would suggest that two years, instead of being excessive, was in fact too lenient for the fear he caused. 8 months is quite frankly laughable. I also wonder what part of his sentence was made up of the knife carrying incident, if any. Too often we hear of "difficult upbringings" being the cause of behaving like a retard. Just accept he's a little cock. I know plenty of people with difficult upbringings who've turned out just fine.

[noise stopper]

"They also highlighted comments made in psychiatric reports that Price was "ill-equipped" to deal with custody, shown by his history of struggling to cope with being in care homes as a child."

"Ill equipped!" it's a punishment for making threats to kill for gods sake not a holiday to rest up for the next offence! cut his bloody hands off and have done with it!

Ian

[karlbee]

In my opinion 2 yrs wasnt enough,fake or not pulling a gun on someone causes the same fear.I find it incedible that he wasnt remanded after the second incident,a flick knive in the same venue\circumstance as the offence on bail for.So what if he has had a difficult upbringing it doesnt give him the right to cause fear and distress to others for no reason other than doing their job.

[noise stopper]

In my opinion 2 yrs wasnt enough,fake or not pulling a gun on someone causes the same fear.I find it incedible that he wasnt remanded after the second incident,a flick knive in the same venue\circumstance as the offence on bail for.So what if he has had a difficult upbringing it doesnt give him the right to cause fear and distress to others for no reason other than doing their job.

He's just misunderstood!

[karlbee]

Not by me he isnt,I fully understand he is a worthless piece of crap,the type of person that makes life so hard for others.They are the real threat to this country,300 brave people pay the ultimate price in the name of the security of our country,when we are been attacked daily from within.

[noise stopper]

Sorry that should have read "He'z mizundastud innit bruv!" and is just anuvva solja or whatever b*ll*cks these creatures use to justify their existence.

Ian (Always remember there is no such word as it, it's short for innit!)

[PhatDad]

I wonder what sort of sentence one of us would get if we threatened the judge with an imitation firearm. I bet it would be more than 8 months.

[noise stopper]

I wonder what sort of sentence one of us would get if we threatened the judge with an imitation firearm. I bet it would be more than 8 months.

With my luck they'd clock it was a cigarette lighter and do me under the smoking regs as well!

Ian

[hippy]

I wonder what sort of sentence one of us would get if we threatened the judge with an imitation firearm. I bet it would be more than 8 months.

With my luck they'd clock it was a cigarette lighter and do me under the smoking regs as well!

Ian

Which are probably more draconian!

[noise stopper]

I issue a mean fixed penalty notice!