A decorator who kept a loaded sawn-off shotgun in
A decorator who kept a loaded sawn-off shotgun in his wardrobe
for protection has walked free from court.
Judge Alan Hitching allowed father of two Wayne Harris, 29, his
liberty because he spent more than seven months in custody last year
awaiting trial for a murder he did not commit.
That charge arose from an incident in March last year in which
a man was stabbed in the back with a bayonet, Snaresbrook Crown
Court was told.
Harris’s defence counsel Mr Paul Mendelle said that there had
not been ‘a shred of evidence’ to say that he inflicted the fatal
wound with the weapon originally brandished by the victim.
During that trial in October last year at the Old Bailey the
prosecution discontinued the case against Harris and another man
also accused of murder.
The shotgun and 20 live cartridges was found following Harris’
arrest for a driving matter in Kentish Town in the early hours of
September 23, 1991.
The court heard how police officers escorted the married man
to his home then at Woodward Road, Dagenham, and carried out a
search.
Mr Stephen Holt, prosecuting, said that on top of a wardrobe
in his bedroom ‘they found what appeared to be a sawn-off shotgun.
‘
Harris warned detectives to ‘be careful’ because it was loaded
and ready to fire.
He is said to have added: ‘I have had a lot of bother with some
people, I’ve got to protect my family.
‘
As well as the two live cartridges loaded into the 12 bore weapon
another 18 were discovered either on top or inside the wardrobe.
Harris, now of Park Road, Stratford, pleaded guilty to charges of
possession of a shotgun and possession of ammunition when prohibited
from doing so because he had previously served a jail term.
He also admitted possession of a shotgun without a firearms
certificate.
The court heard that in 1986 after he was convicted of two
charges of wounding – following a fight in a night club.
Sentencing Harris, Judge Hitching told him he had ‘effectively’
served a 14 month sentence – taking into account two months in custody
on the firearm charges and the murder remand.
‘These are matters that justify a suspended sentence.
What I am
going to do therefore is suspend a sentence of two years for a period
of two years.
‘
Judge Hitching made the terms concurrent on each charge he
admitted and fined Harris pnds stlg 750.
The judge also made a two year probation supervision order.
Harris was ordered to pay court costs of pnds stlg 267.
Defence counsel Mr Mendelle had said that prior to Harris’s
arrest for possession of the shotgun he had been receiving threats –
such as postcards through his letter box including his name and the
message ‘RIP’ on them.
Counsel told the court that the hostility towards him stemmed
from the nightclub fight in 1986 for which he was jailed.
ends
