Motorcycle shop boss shot with crossbow

[Bob]

A motorcycle shop owner was shot in the stomach with a crossbow following an argument with a biker, a court heard.

Andrew Malham of Thundercity Motorcycles was hit after he opened his front door to a man claiming to have run out of petrol.

An attempted murder trial at Leeds Crown Court heard Paul Miller, 32, told Mr Malham before firing the shot: "You're dead, that's it. You're finished." Prosecutor Andrew Hatton said acid was then sprayed through the letterbox.

Mr Malham described the moment he was shot in front of wife Debbie and son James. "He was lunging forward through the door. I heard a noise ... like an air pistol being discharged, like a thwack. I felt something hit me in the stomach."

The jury was told police discovered instructions, an A-Z with both Mr Malham and his business partner’s addresses marked and a crossbow – not the one used in the alleged attack – in a bedroom the Miller brothers shared at the Station Hotel in Bawtry, run by their mother.

In 2006, Thundercity Motorcycles business premises was hit by an arson attack. Thankfully no-one was hurt, but bikes and equipment were damaged.

Paul Miller and Andrew Miller both deny attempted murder and an alternative charge of wounding with intent.

[Mekk]

If shooting someone in the stomach with a crossbow isn't attempted murder, I don't know what is.

[Bob]

Paul Miller, 32, has admitted to shooting Thundercity Motorcycles boss Andrew Malham with a crossbow – but denies being hired as an assassin.

Miller told Leeds Crown Court that he shot Mr Malham after a “business row”.

Mr Malham claimed that Miller had been hired as an assassin by a biker gang following a dispute they had with Thundercity in 2006.

Miller said he was placing flyers on car windscreens near Rothwell last July for PJM Performance, his vehicle diagnostic business, when Mr Malham got out of a white van he had leafleted and threatened him. Miller said "He (Malham) asked me if I worked on motorbikes. I said I did, and at that point he seemed to go a bit sour and he basically told me he worked round that area andhe didn't need any more bike mechanics around here. He told me if he saw me round that area again he would come round and shut me down. He was quite aggressive."

Miller added that he followed the van to Mr Malham's home. He later claimed that he was “pretty sure” a white van he saw outside his home was Mr Malham’s and – ‘paranoid after smoking a lot of cannabis’, hatched the plan to “warn him (Malham) off” by threatening him with the crossbow.

The next night saw Miller, accompanied by his brother Andrew, 25 go to Mr Malham’s house, shoot a bolt into his stomach and pour sulphuric acid through the letterbox.

Miller claims he only meant to scare Mr Malham, but he panicked when Mr Malham came towards him from his door. Miller admitted pouring the acid, but only to damage the carpet.

The trial continues.

[Bikernereid]

It is all about whether he intended to murder or wound the victim and believe me so much of the law in the UK really is an ass!!

A motorcycle shop owner was shot in the stomach with a crossbow following an argument with a biker, a court heard.

Andrew Malham of Thundercity Motorcycles was hit after he opened his front door to a man claiming to have run out of petrol.

An attempted murder trial at Leeds Crown Court heard Paul Miller, 32, told Mr Malham before firing the shot: "You're dead, that's it. You're finished." Prosecutor Andrew Hatton said acid was then sprayed through the letterbox.

Mr Malham described the moment he was shot in front of wife Debbie and son James. "He was lunging forward through the door. I heard a noise ... like an air pistol being discharged, like a thwack. I felt something hit me in the stomach."

The jury was told police discovered instructions, an A-Z with both Mr Malham and his business partner’s addresses marked and a crossbow – not the one used in the alleged attack – in a bedroom the Miller brothers shared at the Station Hotel in Bawtry, run by their mother.

In 2006, Thundercity Motorcycles business premises was hit by an arson attack. Thankfully no-one was hurt, but bikes and equipment were damaged.

Paul Miller and Andrew Miller both deny attempted murder and an alternative charge of wounding with intent.

[Bob]

The jury in the crossbow attack case took just an hour to clear Paul Miller of the the attempted murder of Thundercity Motorcycles director, Andrew Malham.

He was found guilty of the lesser offence of unlawful wounding. The jury also cleared Miller of an alternative charge of wounding with intent.

Judge Geoffrey Marson QC adjourned sentencing for reports until next month. He remanded Miller in custody and told him to expect a prison sentence.

[Bikernereid]

Oh dear God. I know that the law here can be an ass but this is a bloody joke. How the hell did he get off with the wounding with intent? Would love to see what custodial sentence he gets, holiday in the Maldives maybe?

The jury in the crossbow attack case took just an hour to clear Paul Miller of the the attempted murder of Thundercity Motorcycles director, Andrew Malham.

He was found guilty of the lesser offence of unlawful wounding. The jury also cleared Miller of an alternative charge of wounding with intent.

Judge Geoffrey Marson QC adjourned sentencing for reports until next month. He remanded Miller in custody and told him to expect a prison sentence.

[kerfufflez]

The jury was told police discovered instructions, an A-Z with both Mr Malham and his business partner’s addresses marked and a crossbow – not the one used in the alleged attack – in a bedroom the Miller brothers shared at the Station Hotel in Bawtry, run by their mother.

Two thug brothers, and Mum's a pub landlady? - Maybe they got the idea from watching Eastenders.

[Bikernereid]

Alwaya some dumb asses will do stupid thing but what is worrying is that a group of thier peers who are suppposed to be able to make an intelligent decision made such a fuck up with thier verdict!!

Two thug brothers, and Mum's a pub landlady? - Maybe they got the idea from watching Eastenders.

[Mekk]

What the fuck, wounding with intent? I would surely have thought a crossbow to the stomach would be well on its way to being fatal.

[Bikernereid]

i am gonna look into this more as I am interested in intent. Will pass it by my law prof for his view on thi issue as I am stumped!!

What the fuck, wounding with intent? I would surely have thought a crossbow to the stomach would be well on its way to being fatal.

[Bob]

Just a guess here, but I think - from looking at the list of offences that were bought against him - that the jury accepted Miller took the crossbow to Malham's house to "warn him off" (In Miller's own words).

That being the case, they have accepted that he did not mean to fire the crossbow. So no intent.

However, he did admit to firing the crossbow, hence conviction under unlawful wounding.

[Bikernereid]

The jury was told police discovered instructions, an A-Z with both Mr Malham and his business partner’s addresses marked and a crossbow – not the one used in the alleged attack – in a bedroom the Miller brothers shared at the Station Hotel in Bawtry, run by their mother.

I would have thought the above coupled with the words the accused was supposed to have said to the victim would have indicated strong intent?

Just a guess here, but I think - from looking at the list of offences that were bought against him - that the jury accepted Miller took the crossbow to Malham's house to "warn him off" (In Miller's own words).

That being the case, they have accepted that he did not mean to fire the crossbow. So no intent.

However, he did admit to firing the crossbow, hence conviction under unlawful wounding.

[Bob]

The jury was told police discovered instructions, an A-Z with both Mr Malham and his business partner’s addresses marked and a crossbow – not the one used in the alleged attack – in a bedroom the Miller brothers shared at the Station Hotel in Bawtry, run by their mother.

I would have thought the above coupled with the words the accused was supposed to have said to the victim would have indicated strong intent?

Without having attended the court case, I'm only guessing here. But if the jury has thrown out attempted murder, along with wounding with intent - following his admission that he fired the crossbow, but he claims accidentally - then they've accepted he did not intentionally fire it.

Having a map of where the victim lived, plus the other bits and pieces make it clear they intended to go to the place where he lived. Not that they intended to shoot him.

And if they've accepted that, I wonder if they've discounted (or been told to discount) the claim that Miller said those words? Or possibly that they've accepted them as a warning, rather than final words before firing the bolt?

If the above are taken into account, then unlawful wounding is all you have left. Given the admission of firing the crossbow, but claiming accidentally, then if you accept it was an accident, unlawful wounding is all you have left.

I also wonder if the admission of firing the crossbow was put in by the defence lawyer as a spot of plea-bargaining? "Admit to firing it, say it was an accident and we'll get you done for a lesser charge"?

[surfer]

He must have a very good lawyer, or a very stupid jury, or both. Poor bloke with the bolt in his guts and his wife and child must have gone through hell. What a thing for your wife and child to witness.

[MDR2]

An attempted murder trial at Leeds Crown Court heard Paul Miller, 32, told Mr Malham before firing the shot: "You're dead, that's it. You're finished." Prosecutor Andrew Hatton said acid was then sprayed through the letterbox.

They must have forgotten about the part where he states he was going to kill him.

Fortunate for him people like me aren't allowed on the jury, fuck, I'd supply the noose.