Three men left an innocent family terrified after they turned up to the wrong home and pointed an airgun at the head of a dad.
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.
The trio, armed with an airgun, then went to the Newcastle home where they believed the man was living.
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But they went to the wrong home, and instead knocked on the door of an innocent family who were seeking asylum in the UK.
When the dad of the household answered the door, he was confronted by the men, who pointed the weapon at his head before they finally fled after he fought back.
All three men appeared at Newcastle Crown Court today 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 Christmas Day, 2020.
Wrong house
The court heard that the innocent father was sitting at home with his wife 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.
The court was told that 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.
'Scared and worried'
In a victim statement, the man said he had been left "scared and worried", with his wife saying she "feared for the safety" of her family and was terrified that her son would be "kidnapped".
The court was told the family had been seeking asylum in the UK at the time and are now no longer living in Newcastle.
Police chase
Boyle also appeared to be sentenced for driving offences he committed on December 25, 2020.
Whilst driving a Fiat Punto, officers attempted to pull him over in Newcastle 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, Newcastle, 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, Newcastle, 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, Newcastle, 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.
Judge Stephen Earl told the defendants that the case would be adjourned so he could take the time to consider the sentencing.
He said the trio would receive custodial sentences, but did not know whether they would be immediate sentences.
Rice, Boyle and Kirton will return to the court on Friday, March 25, to be sentenced.
They were granted bail.
