Peterborough: Father And Son Jailed - Cambridgeshire

From Heart FM

A father and son have been jailed for a total of 36 years for the involvement in a triple shooting at a Peterborough Travellers site.

Three men were seriously hurt in the attack at Oxney Road, Peterborough, on the 17 September last year.

John Fred Smith, 23, was jailed for 22 years for attempted murder and 14 years for two counts of grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of a firearm with intent, to run concurrently.

Fred Steven Smith, 47, was jailed for 14 years for three counts of assault occasioning grievous bodily harm.

The men, both of Edgerley Drain Road, Peterborough were jailed at Peterborough Crown Court today (Friday) after being found guilty earlier this week.

The shooting happened on September 17, last year, when three men were shot at the Oxney Road Caravan Park. One victim, aged 41, suffered serious injuries after being shot in the stomach and leg and was airlifted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital. He is still recovering at home from his injuries.

The other two victims, aged 44 and 46, suffered serious injuries and were treated at Peterborough City Hospital.

The incident is believed to have been sparked off by an earlier incident involving a relative of the Smiths but the matter was never reported to police.

At around 10am on the day of the shooting, witnesses reported seeing a Ford Mondeo enter the site and approach the plot where the victims were.

Smith junior and Smith senior were seen in the car.

Smith junior then got out and began shooting towards the caravan, injuring the three men, before fleeing with his father in their car.

Det Insp Dave Grierson said: "The Smiths decided to take the law into their own hands and will now have to face the consequences of their actions.

Thankfully, no one was killed but we could easily have been dealing with a murder inquiry.

Whatever the reason for their actions these men showed no regard for the law or the lives of those in their firing line.

I hope this conviction sends out a strong message to others that this type of criminality is not acceptable and will not be ignored by police.”