A dangerous man has been jailed for threatening bailiffs with a firearm which he later pointed at police officers.
Richard Todd, 52, of Foxberry Road SE4 2SR, was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on Monday, 19 December, to five years’ imprisonment.
He had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, possession of a prohibited weapon and possession of ammunition without a certificate.
On Wednesday, 16 February, two County Court bailiffs attended Todd’s home to execute a repossession of property warrant.
After gaining entry, they were confronted by Todd who was holding a handgun.
The bailiffs left the address and called police. Firearms officers responded and were met by Todd who pointed the gun at them.
The officers spoke with him, and after an intense standoff lasting approximately 20 minutes, he put the gun down. He was quickly arrested.
Officers searched his home and located further ammunition, 25 bulleted cartridges and 24 shotgun shells, along with a bulletproof vest.
The firearm was sent for forensic examination and was found to be a revolver-style air pistol that had been converted to a viable lethal firearm.
It was loaded with six rounds of live ammunition. He was charged two days later and remanded in custody.
Detective Constable Theo Green, from the South East Command Unit, said:
“No one expects to have a gun pointed at them whilst they’re going about their job. This must have been a truly terrifying experience for the two bailiffs.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to praise my colleagues in the Firearms Command who responded that day. The composure they showed, and their ability to talk a gunman down, shows true professionalism. The outcome of that day could have been much different.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Donna Smith, of the Met’s Firearm Command, said:
“This incident demonstrates the bravery and professionalism of our firearms officers, who confront incidents like this on a daily basis to protect the public and unarmed officers.
“This was one of the approximately 4,000 spontaneous firearms incidents we responded to over the last 12 months and shows how our officers will use their communication skills to de-escalate and conclude an incident safely.
“I am extremely proud of their response that day.”
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Given the evidence in the photos, this man is a genuine menace to society. Mind you, given the wide variety of ammunition, there is a chance that had he fired the weapon, it might have gone very wrong for him.
As things stand, a 5 year sentence is truly pathetic. He will be out on 30 months and back to his old habits. He should have been locked up for at least 20 years, coming out when he was 20 years older unless he made a nuisance of himself inside, in which case he can stay there longer. I bet his neighbours cannot wait until summer 2025 when he is freed.
Pathetic, but unsurprising, any more and the lawyers would have been queuing up to take his instruction to go to a sentencing review, on the usual discriminatory causal basis.
Over 25 years ago Bliar enacted the firearms (scapegoat) act with the threat of 10 years and NO parole if lawful pistol shooters didn’t hand in their pistols, a number of AFO’s who were also target shooters under the same threat handed in their target pistols, and then handed back their AFO ticket. How many here remember Bliar’s arrival in Downing Street, staged with as many uniformed AFO’s carrying firearms around him as possible? Talk about sending a message… Before shafting many of them. BOHICA!
He was lucky not to have been shot.
The community was not so lucky. If he can do it once, he can do it again. As it is, the cost to the taxpayer will be huge. Funerals are cheaper.
Should have been shot dead. Good riddance