Wigan man behind bars after aiming loaded gun at police officer

Michael Scott was sentenced by a judge at Minshull Street Crown Court, having pleaded guilty to possession of a prohibited firearm and three counts of possessing one with intent to cause fear of violence against police officers.

Other news: The big freeze set to hit Wigan (council tax bills that is!)Parts of the terrifying incident, in the Partington area of Manchester, were captured on CCTV and by a heat-seeking police helicopter camera and footage have now been issued by the Greater Manchester force.

The 27-year-old, of Rose Avenue, Beech Hill, will serve an extended licence period of two years on his release from prison.

The court heard that in the early hours of Sunday, June 30, police received numerous reports of a disturbance on Moss Lane, Partington, and when officers arrived they were confronted by Scott wielding a shotgun.

After aiming his loaded weapon at one of them, he fled on foot closely followed by the officer he had aimed at plus several police cars; but he managed to jump over fences to evade arrest.

The force helicopter was deployed which traced Scott to Derwent Close and followed him as he paced through the neighbourhood, gradually discarding his clothing - which was later recovered.

Firearms officers caught up with the fugitive on nearby wasteland where he was finally arrested.

Later that day, a specialist operations search team conducted an area search to locate the gun Scott managed to hide as he escaped.

The loaded sawn-off was eventually recovered from the roof of an electricity substation on Manchester Road and immediately taken into evidence for processing.

Det Sgt John Seaton, of GMP’s Trafford borough, said: “Thankfully no-one was injured at the hands of Scott but the damage he could have easily caused with a fully loaded weapon doesn’t bear thinking about.

“This incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers that first responders are often faced with and I would like to commend the officer for his bravery. He continued to chase Scott on foot even after having a loaded gun pointed at him.

“The support of the police helicopter was integral to us tracing Scott and the evidence he had tried to abandon during his escape attempt.

“Our team of dedicated officers worked hard to piece together Scott’s movements including CCTV analysis and witness accounts and I would like to thank each of them for their hard work which has made today’s result achievable.

“I hope Scott uses the next six years to reflect on his actions.”