SNS GroupA man who shot two children with a BB gun following a noise row has been jailed for 19 months.
Paul Miller, 57, struck the boys aged ten and seven outside his home near Glasgow’s Maryhill on September 25, 2022.
Miller earlier told a group of kids that they were being loud.
One of the group then hit Miller’s window with a rock before running away.
He then grabbed the gun and chased the remaining trio of children while firing shots.
A boy was left with a red mark on their shoulder.
Miller pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to having a firearm with intent to cause the children to believe that unlawful violence would be used against them.
He also admitted assaulting the two kids as well as a further ten-year-old.
The court heard that a group of children were playing near Miller’s flat.
Prosecutor Katie Bell said: “Miller went out telling them they were being too loud.
“The witnesses didn’t believe this was the case and continued playing as there were no other complaints.”
One of the children then hit Miller’s window with a rock before running off.
Miller went out and told the children to stop.
Ms Bell added: “He went back in his property and returned with a blue BB gun.
“He went on the pavement and chased the children and shot pellets in their direction of all three kids.
“Pellets struck the 10 and seven-year-olds on the back putting them in a state of fear.”
The ten-year-old felt his left shoulder to be “sore” and found a small red circle there.
The seven-year-old escaped without any visible injuries.
Police traced Miller to his home and he told them that he had issues with youths earlier that day.
The gun and pellets were seized after Miller was arrested.
He said to officers: “If they hadn’t hit my windows, I wouldn’t have used it.”
Miller’s lawyer told the sentencing that his client had purchased the gun from a camping shop and was unaware of the legalities of it.
Sheriff Brian Cameron stated to Miller that there was no alternative to a custodial sentence.
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