A 14-hour siege at a block of flats in Bedford began when two neighbours complained about their takeaway being late and cold. Paul Burton, 45, and Nathan Turner, 37, who had been drinking vodka and taking drugs, kept the delivery man prisoner in a lift for two hours.
They played loud music leaving other residents at their wits end. Burton fired an air rifle at a police car’s windscreen. Turner hurled paint and plant pots at police and civilian cars parked outside the eighth floor of the flats at Bury Court in Church Lane.
Prosecutor Adrian Fleming told Luton crown court today/Friday that at around 3am in the morning of November 27th last year the two men ordered a kebab. The delivery driver could not gain access.
When he eventually arrived on the eighth floor in a lift the two defendants placed a coffee table across the door so it could not close and the delivery man could not leave.
“The defendants ate the food in the hallway and made him (the driver) put his hand in the food telling him it was cold,” he said.
The owner of the food business arrived at the flat after receiving abusive calls from Turner. The driver left in a distressed state and went off with the owner.
Something was thrown at the car, causing a dent in his car roof. Mr Fleming said a neighbour was at her “wit’s end” because of the noise of the men’s music.
When she banged and kicked on the door, Burton appeared with a 3-foot long black rifle. The music was turned down, but was turned up again and she saw Burton pointing the rifle at her front door.
The woman had called the police and she was evacuated by 10 o’clock. Armed officers by then had surrounded the block of flats.
Burton said: “I will shoot the first officer that walks through the door.” From 20 metres away, Burton fired at the windscreen of a police vehicle.
The glass was partially pierced and the officer behind the wheel reversed away at speed. “He thought he was going to die,” said the prosecutor.
The siege continued throughout the day with Turner throwing paint and plants from the balcony. Three police and two civilian cars were damaged. The damage to the police cars was said to be £4,700.
Turner also posted a 90 second video on his Facebook page in which he showed a “contemptuous attitude” to the police. Turner gave himself up at 12.34.
Burton finally came out a 17.49 – 14 hours after the siege began. Burton, of Bury Court, Church Lane, Bedford, pleaded guilty to attempting to cause grievous bodily harm and two charges of possessing a firearm without a certificate.
Turner, of a neighbouring flat in Bury Court, Church Lane, Bedford, admitted affray and four charges of criminal damage. For Burton, Lawrence Selby said he had a history of mental health problems and drug and alcohol abuse.
“He accepts his behaviour was disgraceful and totally unacceptable,“ he said. Mr Selby said he was remorseful and wants help. While in prison he has been drug and alcohol-free and receiving assistance with mental health issues.
William Durrands, for Turner, said he was bi-polar and at the time had been suffering a bereavement and separation from his family.
While on remand in prison he had been attacked, suffering a fractured skull, broken eye socket and fractured shoulder. Sentencing them, Judge David Farrell KC said: “It was an appalling and terrifying incident.
“This was an extremely disturbing and frightening siege in which a firearm was present. “Significant police resources were used and there was considerable distress and disturbance to residents at the block of flats.”
He jailed Burton for seven years.
Turner was sentence to 20 months, but is likely to beg released immediately because of the time he has served on remand.
Beds Boro Bulletin Oct 23
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