An armed man sparked a five-hour siege when he barricaded himself into a Cardiff flat and warned police: “Come in and I’ll shoot you.”
A crowd had to be cordoned off outside a block of flats at Vernon Court, Llanrumney, on the night of August 6 when Christopher Mason, 29, started throwing TVs, tables and other items out of a top floor flat window after smashing the windows with a bat. Some of the items landed on the police car waiting below, smashing the windscreen.
“The crowd had to be moved back behind the cordon because there was material being thrown from the window,” said Richard Ace, prosecuting at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court .
He added that Mason had "dry fired" an air rifle, and said police had been called to the flats following the report of a break in.
'I have two shooters loaded'
When they turned up Mason, of Dickens Avenue, Llanrumney , had barricaded himself into the flat after refusing to come out.
“He said that he had two guns and a knife,” said Mr Ace. “He saw Mason lean from the front window saying: ‘I have two shooters all loaded in here. I’ll shoot anyone who comes through the door.’
It was only when the occupant of the flat turned up telling the police there was no ammunition they started to take steps to get Mason out.
Armed police were called and as officers entered the flat Mason shouted: “Come in and I’ll f****** shoot you.” They managed to force their way through the door, barricaded with sofas, and had to Taser Mason. The flat had been ransacked and smashed.
Mason had a knife and two weapons – two air rifles only one of which was in working order – and admitted using a firearm and imitation firearm with intent to resist arrest, affray and two counts of criminal damage.
'There was a standoff'
In interview, Mason said he had gone to the flat to cultivate cannabis and had barricaded himself in because he didn’t want to go to prison and had smashed the windows because he was going to jump.
The court heard that only days before he had received a 32-week sentence for burglary suspended for 24 months. The court was told Mason suffered with depression, anxiety and psychotic symptoms and had not intended to become involved in a five-hour armed siege.
Jailing Mason for four years, Judge Neil Bidder QC told him: “There was a standoff between you and the police including a team of firearm officers. You challenged the police to shoot you.”
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Mason was given a seven-year extended sentence, the period of custody being four years. After serving two-thirds of that he will be eligible for release and will be on licence for the remaining time. He will also have to pay a £900 criminal courts charge and a £120 victim surcharge.
see-http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/armed-man-sparked-five-hour-10622714#rlabs=23%20p$2
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