A gunman who shot a bystander after a pub row over “respect” was today beginning a jail sentence of at least 23 years.

Leighton Cohen, aged 21, fired indiscriminately into the doorway of the Bagot Arms in Whitmore Reans, hitting father-of-two Luke Harris.

Cohen, who was on licence after being released early from a sentence for witness intimidation, had trodden on the foot of another man at the Goalpost pub.

He claimed he was threatened before he and co-defendant Michael Stubbs, aged 22, left for the Bagot Arms where Mr Harris was shot, Stafford Crown Court was told yesterday.

Jailing Cohen, of Mostyn Street, Whitmore Reans, for life, Deputy High Court Judge Sir Michael Astill said: “You fired the gun when you lost your temper, when additional verbal abuse was directed towards you.

“You didn’t specifically target the deceased, but you shot randomly into the group where he was.”

Stubbs, of Higham Way, Fallings Park, admitted assisting an offender, affray, burglary and motoring offences and was jailed for four-and-a-half years.

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