Pair helped orchestrate shooting at South Shields home
Two men have been jailed for their roles in orchestrating a shooting at a home.
Police said it was "sheer luck" no-one was injured when Aaron Giles and Kevin Chapman were involved in the in the incident, which saw a shotgun fired at the front door of a house in South Tyneside.
They had denied possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life but were found guilty following a trial this year.
The court heard how a third man had fired a shotgun at the front door of an address on Brownlow Road, in South Shields, on 21 September, 2022.
An investigation by Northumbria Police’s major investigation team revealed the roles played by driver Chapman and Giles.
Using CCTV and telecoms activity, they found Chapman driving past the address, with Giles in the car shouting the victim’s name.
An unidentified gunman then fired twice at the address before fleeing the scene.
Both men denied involvement but following a 14-day trial at Newcastle Crown Court, Giles, 29, and Chapman, 40, were convicted of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.
The men were found not guilty of conspiracy to murder.
Appearing before the court on Friday 5 May, Giles, of Richardson Avenue, South Shields, was jailed for 15 years. Chapman, of Hawthorne Avenue, South Shields, was jailed for 12 years.
Speaking after the sentencing, Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Louise Jenkins, said: “This incident was absolutely appalling, and it was sheer luck that nobody was seriously injured or killed.
"During the court proceedings we saw the brazen attitudes of these men, who refused to take any responsibility for their actions but I am pleased Giles and Chapman are now behind bars given the serious threat they pose to our communities.
“While incidents of this nature are rare in our region, we take them incredibly seriously, as demonstrated by our swift and comprehensive investigation, which was launched in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.
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