Police have released the images of three men jailed over their role in a revenge gang shooting in Nottingham. A jury heard how a shooting at a car in Tennyson Street, Radford, on August 3, 2018, was reciprocated with a revenge shooting weeks later in Oldknow Street, Radford, on August 21.
Fortunately, while the shots caused minor damage, they both missed their target. The incidents formed part of Operation Snapper – a complex investigation into the supply, distribution and management of firearms relating to a gang grounded in the St Ann’s area of Nottingham.
Members of the gang were feuding with several rival gangs from across the city. One of these rival gangs operated from the Radford area and the tension between them led to a string of vicious incidents involving guns and knives.
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The gang violence led to a string of arrests in the following months and in April 2019, four people were jailed for their involvement in the second ‘revenge’ shooting. In November 2019 three others were jailed for a further foiled plot from March 2019.
It can now be reported that two men - Richard Burnett and Traequam Lambert - were recently jailed at Nottingham Crown Court for assisting those who carried out the Oldknow Street shooting, as well as for their involvement in the March 2019 plot, following a trial that concluded in March this year.
The sentencings took place on May 19, 2022, but reporting restrictions have prevented the publication of any details until now.
Burnett, 28, of HMP Nottingham, was sentenced to 24 years after a jury found him guilty of conspiracy to wound with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and three counts of possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.
Lambert, 22, of HMP Nottingham, was sentenced to 18 years after the same jury found him guilty of the same offences as Richard Burnett. The judge said he was satisfied Richard Burnett was the “ring-leader” and that Lambert had played a “lesser role” – and that this was reflected in the respective sentencings.
A third defendant – Rudy Burnett – was also sentenced for his part in the March 2019 incident. The 30-year-old, of Cavendish Road, Carlton, was sentenced to 11 years after a jury found him guilty of conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
They will all serve two-thirds of their sentence in prison and the rest on licence.
Delivering the sentencings, Judge Steven Coupland said the revenge shooting involving Richard Burnett and Lambert had been a “terrifying incident that created a real risk of injury or worse”.
He added the foiled plot from March 2019 – in which all three defendants armed themselves with knives, a truncheon and a loaded pistol and went looking for rival gang members in a van – was equally disturbing.
The judge said: “You drove around looking for people. It was just luck that you missed them. I have no doubt that had you found them, these people would have been attacked by your group, wearing balaclavas and using these weapons.
“What you have been convicted of is incredibly serious.”
Following the sentencings, Detective Inspector Mark Adas said: “This was a complex investigation undertaken by a large regional team into a tit-for-tat gang rivalry that culminated in the use of guns on Nottinghamshire’s streets.
“It was only a matter of time before a bullet was going to make contact with a person – intended target or not – and no doubt result in very serious harm or even death. With support from the force, we have been able to root out those responsible and remove them and their deadly weapons from society.
“Organised criminal gangs should be under no doubt that the police possess significant specialist investigative capabilities and will use them to break up their activities and keep our communities safe.”
Assistant Chief Constable Rob Griffin, of Nottinghamshire Police, added: “I welcome the sentences delivered at court today following a significant criminal investigation.
“We have always made clear that Nottinghamshire Police will utilise every available resource when seeking to bring firearms offenders to justice, and this case again demonstrates that those who think it is somehow acceptable to use weapons on our streets will be brought to justice.
“If you have any information about those involved in gun crime, or who knows where weapons are being stored, please keep contacting us so that these positive results continue.”
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