Air rifle sniper hits enforcer with pellet

Published on Saturday 8 March 2008 11:01

A PARKING warden was shot with an air rifle as he ticketed cars, his employer said today.

The man was hit on the hand by a pellet as he and a colleague worked in York Lane in Edinburgh's New Town.

It is thought the shots were fired from a building in the lane, off York Place. The man, reported as being John Lenton, escaped injury as he was wearing gloves and he and his colleague fled to the safety of their base.

The attack came at around 5pm on Thursday as the NCP Services employees made their rounds.

NCP Services, which manages parking attendants for the Capital, condemned the attack on their staff and said the incident had been reported to police.

James Pritchard, of NCP Services, said: "Two of our parking attendants were shot at with an air rifle on Thursday evening in York Lane.

"One of our parking attendants was hit in the hand, but he was wearing gloves at the time.

"All they knew was that they were being fired at and that was quite frightening for them.

"It is totally unacceptable, the way these people have decided to behave towards our parking attendants.

"Our parking attendants are doing a very important job in the city and they deserve better than to be shot at with air rifles."

Lothian and Borders Police said they had no information about the attack.