Anglesey man jailed for airgun attack outside shop

An Anglesey man has been jailed for 12 months after shooting his neighbour in the face with an airgun outside a Bargain Booze store.

Tom Webster, 41, of Victoria Terrace, Holyhead, laughed before shooting victim Andrew Richards in the face and then firing four more times at his chest outside the store on New Year’s Day 2023.

Webster also threatened his victim, saying: “I’m going to bite your fucking ear off,” before leaving the scene. Armed police arrested him later that evening.

On Thursday, Webster pleaded guilty to wounding at Caernarfon Crown Court. Her Honour Nicola Jones sentenced him to 12 months imprisonment, to be served at the end of his current sentence.

Prosecutor Joshua Gorst told the court that Mr Richards had been walking his dog when he encountered Webster and a woman. Mr Richards described the moment Webster pulled out the gun: “There was a flash and there was a popping sound and he fell to the floor.”

A witness described Mr Richards’ face as “p****** with blood” following the attack. The victim sustained a small wound on his right cheek and grazes to his head, but X-rays revealed pellets embedded in his face which required surgical removal.

Despite extensive searches, police never found the weapon, though officers discovered a box for an airgun compatible with pellets recovered from Mr Richards’ face.

In his victim statement, Mr Richards wrote: “I always wonder what would have happened if I had been shot in the eye.” He added that he lives in a “constant state of anxiety and fear” and believes he is being driven out of his community.

Defence barrister John Wyn Williams said Webster had the “good sense” to plead guilty and noted he is already a serving prisoner.

Judge Nicola Jones highlighted that Webster had laughed at Mr Richards, whose head had been bleeding heavily, when passing sentence.

In June last year, Webster became the first person to be sentenced since North Wales Police joined the Domestic Abuse Protection Order scheme, for breaching such an order.