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Crown Court at Bradford (UK), 11 July 2018
His Honour Judge Durham Hall QC today sentenced Mr X (45) and Mr X (35) to 15 years each for possessing ammunition without a firearm certificate, for possessing a firearm in prohibited circumstances, and for possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. The sentences for possession of the ammunition and of the firearm were concurrent and for five years each. The sentences for possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence were 10 years for each man, and consecutive to the five-year sentences. The jury reached their unanimous guilty verdicts yesterday on charges mentioning firearms and one of damage [see http://www.gavaghancommunications.com/cr_43.html]. However on charge one for possession of ammunition (9mm) the charge the jury gave a verdict about was possession of a firearm, not of ammunition. His Honour and Counsel were present. Proceedings are taped. Immediately the Court rose Science, People & Politics raised this matter with the Crown Prosecution Service for North East, where the indictment arose. Press do not always have an accurate and final version of the indictment before the Court. CPS North East said they would raise the issue with the Reviewing Lawyer. The matter was raised again by Science, People & Politics this morning pre sentencing and the question raised whether the concern should be presented to the judge pre sentencing with: CPS North East, West Yorkshire Police Communications Manager, the General Secretary of the writer's trade union and the writer's Member of Parliament. Present in Court when the charges were read to the jury for their verdict yesterday were junior counsel as well as Mr Tahir Khan QC (For Mr X [45]) and solicitors. As of yesterday, according to police, the Gun had not been recovered. Miss Abigail Langford, junior prosecutor, represented the prosecution at today's sentencing, and she spoke of Charge One as being possession of ammunition. Miss Langford was present in Court yesterday when that charge was not put before the jury for their verdict. Science, People & Politics has heard similar errors quickly corrected in the past by judge or Counsel. His Honour Judge Durham Hall QC also spoke in his sentencing remarks of Charge one on the indictment being possession of ammunition, not as the charge to which the jury responded yesterday in his Court with a guilty verdict. Science, People & Politics sought before posting this news report to reach Mr Peter Moulson QC leading Counsel for Mr X (35), but was able only to reach someone who said he was Mr Moulson's clerk, and that there was no point speaking to him. During the trial a judge-directed not guilty verdict was reached on one set of charges. His honour further reached an important ruling on a matter which led Mr X (45) to withdraw from the trial after a discourteous outburst by Mr X (45) against the integrity of the Court. In Mr X's (45) absence the past events ruled admissible by His Honour were placed before the jury. By choosing to be absent Mr X (45) could not be cross-examined such that he could present to the jury his current position. Both Mr X (45) and Mr X (35) maintained their not guilty plea throughout the trial. During the trial Ms Michelle Colborne QC and, during sentencing, His Honour Judge Durham Hall QC, spoke of the part Mr X's (45) paranoia had played in what the judge called Mr X's (45) unscrupulous behaviour. His honour praised police in the case for magnificent work, which His Honour wanted to be brought to the attention of the Chief Constable of Northumbria Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner. Helen Gavaghan. Published online at 17.15 pm British Summer Time, July 7th [11th, not 7th -- erroneous date online less for than a minute], 2018. News published on 11th July, 2018. Advanced publication of an item for issue 3 (July - Sept.), 2018 of Science, People & Politics ISSN: 1751-598x (online). Names of defendants were removed on 30th November, 2018 at the editor's discretion and in the absence of any unofficial pressure, family request or legal requirement. In this report I did not, in fact, include names other than the names of the defendants. On reflection this item with redactions will be moved to the full issue three as pdf and html - before the end of 2018. The publisher has an archived copy of the original news item. In the absence of UK law (as of 30.11.2018) to the contrary the publisher's executors will be requested to destroy that archive on the publisher's death. This is a professional news report by a professional journalist, namely by Helen Gavaghan, a journalist of nearly 40 years experience, current member of the Chartered Institute of Journalists and former candidate (2011/12) to be deputy general secretary of the National Union of Journalist of the UK and Ireland. This policy is to be reviewed by the shareholders of the owning company, Science, People and Politics Ltd. Co.No 0590 1911, of Science, People & Politics ISSN 1751-598x (online). Science, People and Politics Ltd. Co. No. 0590 19ll is registered in England. Helen Gavaghan, 30th November, 2018, and modified 5th December, 2018.
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