An armed gang mistakenly pointed an airgun at the head of an innocent dad after turning up at the wrong house.
Michael Kirton, 30, James Boyle, 31, and Anthony Rice, 37, had apparently wanted to "warn" a drug dealer who had been "selling drugs to a child" on May 15, 2019.
But the trio, armed with an airgun, then went to the Newcastle home where they believed the man was living.
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However, they got the wrong home and instead knocked on the door of an innocent family who were seeking asylum in the UK.
On Friday, the three men appeared at Newcastle Crown Court to be sentenced for affray.
Boyle also faced further charges of dangerous driving, possession of cocaine, and driving without a licence or insurance, which were committed during a separate incident on December 25, 2020 - while on bail over the affray matter.
Both Boyle and Rice were jailed, with Kirton receiving a suspended sentence.
At home with wife and kids
At a hearing earlier in the week, prosecutor Susannah Proctor said the innocent father was sitting at home with his wife and children when there was a knock at the door shortly after 8pm.
When he opened the door, he was met by the three defendants, as well as a fourth man who has since died.
They were pointing the gun at his forehead, but the man bravely grabbed the weapon and a "struggle" ensued before the airgun was "discharged in the air".
He managed to push one of the defendants away, before he ran back into his home and locked the door.
The men then ran off - with CCTV capturing them fleeing.
'Wrong door'
Ms Proctor said the men were heard saying it was the "wrong door" and that their intentions were "not entirely clear".
The defendants were later identified from the CCTV footage.
Text messages from Rice were later discovered, where he had said "let's get some coin" before the incident was carried out.
The airgun was found around a week after the offence, discarded in a nearby street.
The court was told the family had been seeking asylum in the UK at the time and are now no longer living in Newcastle.
Boyle also appeared to be sentenced for driving offences he committed on Christmas Day 2020 - while on bail for the affray.
Whilst driving a Fiat Punto, officers attempted to pull him over on the outskirts of Newcastle city centre, but he instead led them on a chase.
A stinger was used which burst the vehicle's front two tyres, but Boyle continued on, driving through a red light before smashing into a road sign.
"Extensive damage" was caused to the car, and officers found a bag of cocaine hidden "under his genitals".
When arrested, he "argued with officers", claiming he was not the driver.
'Turned life around'
Ms Lamb, defending Kirton, said he had committed no further offences since and had "turned his life around".
She said he works full-time and is a father-of two.
"He is clearly able to stay out of trouble", she added.
The court was told Kirton, of Tebay Drive, West Denton, had previous convictions for driving offences, affray and possession of a knife.
Christopher Knox, defending Boyle, said an immediate prison sentence would lead to him "losing his house" and said the driving offences were an "unhappy episode".
He said Boyle, of Clara Street, Benwell, accepted he shouldn't have bought the car and had "problems with drink and drugs".
Mr Knox added Boyle had also kept out of trouble since the Christmas Day police chase.
Penny Hall, defending Rice, of Hillside Avenue, Denton, said he was in a "very different place" at the time of the offence, and had been "asked to go along to an address to warn a male who had been selling drugs to a child".
She added he was "ashamed" and "clearly remorseful" of getting involved and was a "hard-working family man" who is employed as a roofer.
'Terrorised innocent person'
Sentencing the men on Friday, Judge Stephen Earl, said: "It is fair to say this is a very serious matter.
"The three of you, for some partly known purpose, intended to terrorise somebody on that particular day for some particular purpose.
"However, you went to the wrong address."
He added: "If anything, it makes it more serious that the planning and preparation was so poor, you terrorised an innocent person who was at home with his wife and children."
Rice, who was the one holding the weapon at the time of the offence, was said to have played the "leading role".
He was jailed for 27 months.
Kirton, who claimed to have had "no knowledge" of the gun, something the Crown could not establish was either true or not, was given a 20 month prison sentence, suspended for two years.
He must also complete 20 rehabilitation days.
Boyle was jailed for 26 months and was banned from driving for three years and one month.
He will also have to take an extended re-test.
