A FAMILY was shot at with an air rifle during a night out, sparking a brawl involving a machete and a harpoon.
A court was told how a man was on his way home from a night out with family when the group was shot at from a flat window in Southampton.
Dean Cartwright, 19, of William Macleod Way, Jamie Cartwright, 38, of Clarendon Road and Alfie Cartwright, 19, of Jessamine Road, were near the bingo hall on Shirley Road when the altercation started.
Jamie and one other family member were struck with a pellet from an air rifle, before the group stormed the flats where the shot had come from.
Prosecuting, Rose Burns told how Christopher Helder fired the weapon, before making his way downstairs armed with a machete and a harpoon-like device.
CCTV footage of the incident then shows him returning to his flat before rocks, bottles, and a gas canister are launched at his door.
A window was broken in the incident which also saw Alfie Cartwright punch a parked car and kick a bin over in the street.
Dean had also begun arguing with a passer-by, throwing punches at him even though he was not involved.
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After the incident, Helder was arrested at his flat with weapons including a machete, two air rifles and the harpoon-like device being seized by police.
He has since died before being able to face justice for the incident, the court heard.
Meanwhile, Jamie and Dean pleaded guilty to affray with Alfie Cartwright pleading guilty to a public order offence.
Although it was accepted that Helder had started the row by firing at them, Ms Burns said: “The Cartwrights should have rung the police. Instead, they laid siege.”
But mitigating, Khalid Missouri said his client, Dean, was only 17 at the time and has ADHD, saying he doesn’t accept that he threw missiles.
Upon seeing his uncle with a “gash” because of the air rifle pellet, he got “carried away”, Mr Missouri added.
Nick Robinson, defending Jamie said he is “sorry” and “ashamed of his behaviour”, with Tom Evans defending Alfie saying, “he is of previous good character”.
Southampton Crown Court was told how Jamie has six convictions for eight offences, Dean has sixteen other offences and Alfie has no previous convictions.
Commenting on the incident that happened in September 2020, Judge Peter Henry said: “The problem with public disorder and violence like this is it can so easily get out of control.”
He told Jamie: “You were by far the oldest. I accept you were struck with the pellet. You had responsibility for two 17-year-olds who were with you.”
He made Jamie subject to a 12-month community order as part of which, he must carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.
Dean was also handed a community order with 120 hours of unpaid work attached.
Alfie was ordered to pay a £600 fine.
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