Brothers handed 24-year term for attempted shotgun murder
- Published
James Lee (left) and Thomas Lee were a "danger to society" police said
Two brothers who tried to murder a mother by firing a sawn-off shotgun through the window of her Newcastle home have been jailed.
Thomas and James Lee targeted the woman following a dispute with her son and also injured a man in another shooting two days later.
They were convicted of attempted murder, and of wounding, following an earlier trial at Newcastle Crown Court.
The judge has now sentenced each of them to a 24-year term.
The court was told they fired a gun through the window as their first victim was cooking supper in the kitchen of her Westerhope home on 3 October 2019.
She suffered serious injuries to her back, arm and face caused by pellets and flying glass.
The shotgun was recovered from a car both brothers had access to
Then in the early hours of 5 October, the pair fired a gun at another man in his Newcastle flat following a separate fallout, leaving him with injuries to his ear and calf.
They were cleared of his attempted murder but were found guilty of attempting to wound him with intent.
Thomas Lee, 21, of no fixed abode, was also convicted of possessing a firearm when prohibited, assault on an emergency worker and racially aggravated disorderly behaviour with intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress.
His 27-year-old brother, of Henry Nelson Street, South Shields, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving in relation to a police pursuit that occurred shortly after the Newcastle shooting.
The woman suffered serious injuries caused by pellets and flying glass
Det Ch Insp Jane Fairlamb, of Northumbria Police, said: "Both brothers hatched a complicated plan to carry out these two shootings, using various vehicles to disguise their movements with the aim of avoiding detection.
"Guns are not toys - they knowingly and willingly pulled the trigger in an attempt to kill a mum in her home, as well as injure a second man after a suspected falling out.
"Thomas and James Lee have proven themselves to be a danger to society and I am pleased that the jury saw through their lies.
"The streets of Newcastle are certainly a safer place with them both behind bars."
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