Tenth Bedford gang member jailed over night of shooting

Marcus Rizwani was the final man to be jailed for his part in a rival gang retaliation gun battle in Bedford in July 2016

A tenth man has been jailed after two rival armed gangs were involved in a night of "shocking" gun violence.

A woman was hit in the arm in a drive-by shooting in Bedford in July 2016 and then two gangs fired retaliation shots at each other at three properties.

Marcus Rizwani, 22, of Barton Road in Bedford, has been sentenced at Luton Crown Court to 15 years for conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of a shotgun.

Nine others had already been jailed.

Bedfordshire Police said it increased the total jail time to 185 years, in what it called the force's "largest-ever prison sentencing for one case".

'Abhorrent behaviour'

The drive-by shooting was reported in Faraday Square and there were further incidents across the south of the town in Lovell Road, Foxglove Way and Romsey Way.

Shots were fired at three properties after the initial drive-by shooting report

Det Chief Insp Will Hawkes said: "We are glad these individuals have all received significant jail-time for their dangerous, abhorrent and unacceptable behaviour.

"Each of those involved had a role to play in a shocking evening of violence.

"It was fortunate there were no further serious injuries or deaths."

In April, two men in were jailed for 16 years each.

In November, six men from the Bedford area were jailed for between 15 and 22 years.

The nine already jailed were:

• Mohammed Islam, 22, of no fixed abode - 16 years for conspiracy to cause GBH and possession of a shotgun

• Shozel Ahmed, 23, of Foxglove Way, Bedford - 16 years for conspiracy to cause GBH, possession of a shotgun and affray

• Abdul Kadir, 38, of Salmon Lane, Limehouse, London - 15 years for conspiracy to cause GBH, affray, possession of a shotgun and possession of a prohibited weapon

• Mohammed Waez, 21, of Lovell Road, Bedford - 22 years for conspiracy to cause GBH with intent and possession of a machine pistol

• Shuheb Ali, 19, of Ashmead Road, Bedford - 20 years for conspiracy to cause GBH with intent, possession of a sawn-off shotgun, possession of a machine pistol and possession of class A drugs with intent to supply

• Abul Faiz, 21, of Collie Road, Bedford - 22 years for conspiracy to cause GBH with intent, possession of a machine pistol and possession of class A drugs with intent to supply

• Kierran Hall, 21, of Grange Close, Houghton Conquest - 20 years for conspiracy to cause GBH with intent, possession of a shotgun and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice

• Ryan Cockings, 19, of Whitby Way, Bedford - 15 years for conspiracy to cause GBH with intent, possession of a shotgun and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice

• Tavon Carter, 20, of Romsey Way, Bedford - 20 years for conspiracy to cause GBH with intent, possession of a shotgun, and possession of class A drugs with intent to supply.

A police cordon was set up in Titchfield Drive in July 2016