Lucy McGarr successfully prosecutes a defendant who forced his way into a female stranger’s home armed with a shotgun.

Lucy successfully prosecuted a defendant who forced his way into a female stranger’s home armed with a shotgun.

The victim had only just returned from a two-week holiday when the defendant knocked on her front door. Upon answering the door, the defendant, wearing a flat cap and surgical mask, barged his way into the victim’s home, pointing the shotgun at her, yelling at her to get on the floor.

The victim bravely grabbed the barrel of the shotgun and managed to push the defendant back outside after a tussle in the hallway.

The defendant wrestled the shotgun back into his hands and fled, leaving behind a bag outside the victim’s address which contained a balaclava matching his DNA. He took deliberate and speedy steps to dispose of the firearm as it was never recovered.

The incident was caught on CCTV and the evidence involved extensive car tracking data which demonstrated the defendant had significantly planned this attack on his victim, by repeatedly driving by and parking near her home address on over 60 occasions in the month leading up the date of the attack.

The jury unanimously convicted the defendant, and he was sentenced to 7 years’ imprisonment.