Man with drug influenced psychosis fires gun at police and narrowly misses
A man with drug-influenced psychosis fired a gun at police in terrifying incident - and narrowly missed.
Shaun Wakefield also said he would kill his wife and dog, before kicking in neighbour's door where his partner was seeking refuge. He waved an air rifle after cops were called his flat in Newport on April 5th last year, with footage of the scary moment recorded by a neighbour. A court heard Wakefield behaved erratically because of mental health issues. His wife gave evidence about his attempted self-harm and unusual behaviour in a taxi where he grabbed the wheel and made strange comments.
NorthWalesLive reported from Cardiff Crown Court during his sentencing hearing. Once in his flat Wakefield, 47, pushed his wife to the floor and told her: "You're going to burn b****. I'm going to leave us all in here and we're going to die."
Wakefield waved a firearm after police responded to the incident at his flat (CPS)Prosecutor Megan Jones said Wakefield's wife took the dog to a neighbour's flat and police were called. They then heard a banging at the door and Wakefield shouting: "Fire, fire" and fire alarms had been set off. Wakefield's wife saw he had a knife, but he was fought off after kicking in the door of the neighbour's flat. However, as he walked away, Wakefield's wife saw the tip of an air rifle he was carrying.
Police who arrived didn't know the weapon was an air rifle and one officer was quoted as saying: "I felt concerned for mine, my colleagues', and members of the public's safety. I am not a firearms specialist and I believed the gun could have been real."
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Officers shouted for Wakefield to "put the gun down" but he refused and threatened members of the public who ran away in fear. A neighbour filmed him and could be heard saying: "Oh my God, oh my God."
As people took cover Wakefield was heard to say: "F****** I'll shoot you". He fired at a police car before pointing the weapon at an officer and shooting, though he missed his intended target.
Wakefield was finally arrested and in court pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, arson, and criminal damage.
Ben Waters, defending, said Wakefield was experiencing mental health issues at the time of the offences having been diagnosed with depression and psychosis. He had smoked two cannabis joints before the incident and had not been taking his prescribed medication. The defence barrister said Wakefield had intended to take his own life and had brandished the air rifle so police would "shoot him dead". Since he was remanded in custody Wakefield's condition was said to have improved.
Sentencing, Judge Simon Mills said: "What you did was largely of your own making. People with mental health problems, that is a matter for which the court has sympathy but you must comply with the regime of medication prescribed by your doctor and not resort to illegal street drugs to medicate yourself. At the time of the offences you were suffering a drug-induced psychosis... You pose a high risk of harm to the public when you're in a state of mental ill health."
Wakefield was sentenced to a total of four years and eight months imprisonment. He will serve half the sentence in custody before he is released to serve the remainder on licence.
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