OAP jailed after killing great-grandson, 6, with unlicensed air rifle

A 78-year-old man has been jailed for three years after he shot dead his six-year-old great-grandson as he checked his unlicensed air rifle.
Albert Gannon arriving at court. Picture: PAAlbert Gannon arriving at court. Picture: PA
Albert Gannon arriving at court. Picture: PA

Albert Grannon discharged the .22 calibre weapon into football-mad Stanley Metcalf's stomach during a family gathering at his home in Sproatley, East Yorkshire, in July last year.

Sheffield Crown Court heard how the youngster said "you shot me granddad" as shocked relatives responded to the sound of a loud bang in the house.

Grannon admitted manslaughter at a previous hearing.

Stanley Metcalf. Picture: PAStanley Metcalf. Picture: PA
Stanley Metcalf. Picture: PA
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Grannon stood in the dock with one security officer and wore a smart grey jacket, light blue shirt, dark blue tie and blue trousers.

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He showed no emotion as the judge, Mr Justice Lavender, said he had no choice but to jail the pensioner.

The judge told Grannon: "You ended a young life and you brought lifelong grief and misery to his parents and to the whole of his family."

He said: "What you did was obviously a very dangerous thing to do. Why on Earth did you do it?"

According the judge, Stanley said after the pellet went through him: "Why have you shot me granddad", "or something similar".

Earlier, John Elvidge QC, prosecuting, told the court that the boy said: "You shot me granddad."

Grannon showed no emotion as he stood to be sentenced.

The court heard how Stanley's extended family had been split by the incident and some relatives, including his parents, sat in the court itself while others were in the overhanging public gallery.

Many were in tears as the sentence was passed.

As he was taken down, one woman shouted from the balcony: "Love you dad."

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Earlier, Stanley's mother Jenny Dees, said of the defendant, who is her grandfather: "Not once did he say sorry. Now if he did, it would be meaningless - too little, too late."

Ms Dees read an emotional statement to court after placing a photo of Stanley in front of her in the witness box.

She said that, immediately after the incident, she felt sorry for her grandfather but she told the judge: "I don't feel sorry for him now."

Outside court Ms Dees said that she accepted her grandfather now felt remorse but she said he had not expressed it to her.

She said she wanted to see changes to air rifle licencing.

Paul Genney, defending, told the court that, despite the views of Stanley's parents, Grannon, "blames himself totally".

Earlier the court heard how the air rifle needed a firearms certificate because its power meant it was categorised as "specially dangerous".

Prosecutors said Grannon knew he needed a licence for the weapon, which he had had modified, but knew he would not get one because an old injury to his right hand meant he could only fire it with his left.

He is right handed.