Couple halted by armed Leeds police were transporting sawn-off shotgun, ammo and iPhone stun-gun

A couple stopped by armed police in Leeds were found transporting a cache of weapons, including a sawn-off shot gun with ammunition and a stun-gun disguised as an iPhone.
By Nick Frame
Published 2nd Aug 2023, 04:45 GMT
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Jamal Gatewood was being driven by Dominique Schofield in a Nissan Juke when a police firearm support unit halted them on Lidgett Lane in Gledhow on June 23.

Inside the 4x4 they found the single-barrel .410 shotgun that had been sawn down, along with 30 cartridges and two 9mm cases. They also found a fully-charged stun-gun disguised as a pink iPhone, a machete and cannabis.

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Prosecuting the case at Leeds Crown Court, Jonathan Sharp said the pair were arrested and their home addresses searched, where more cannabis was found, along with another machete, a BB gun and an extendable baton.

Gatewood was jailed after the Nissan Juke he was being driven in by Schofield was stopped on Lidgett Lane and found to contain several weapons. (pics by WYP / Google Maps)Gatewood was jailed after the Nissan Juke he was being driven in by Schofield was stopped on Lidgett Lane and found to contain several weapons. (pics by WYP / Google Maps)
Gatewood was jailed after the Nissan Juke he was being driven in by Schofield was stopped on Lidgett Lane and found to contain several weapons. (pics by WYP / Google Maps)

During their police interview, 24-year-old Gatewood admitted the cannabis was his, but denied knowing the gun and ammunition was in the vehicle. Schofield, age 22, admitted having the stun-gun, but claimed she did not know what is was or how it worked.

In a later court hearing, Gatewood, of Hollin Park Terrace, Roundhay, admitted possessing a prohibited weapon (the shotgun), ammunition without a certificate and possession of cannabis.

Schofield, of Brookfield Avenue, Rodley, accepted possession of a prohibited firearm – the stun-gun.

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Mitigating for Schofield, Andrew Semple said she had no previous convictions and it was “totally out of character”. He said she was on course to complete a law degree with only her dissertation to hand in when she was arrested. She has been held on remand in HMP New Hall since her arrest.

For Gatewood, Glenn Parsons said he had a limited criminal record during his youth, but had run up a drug debt and agreed to look after the gun.

He said: “He was holding the weapon for somebody else and was going to give it to that person on the day they were stopped. He bore all the risk and will pay the heavy price, but that was his aim.”

Gatewood, who has been held in HMP Doncaster, was also a promising basketball player.

Judge Simon Batiste gave Gatewood five-and-a-half years’ jail, with Schofield handed an 18-month community order, 100 hours of unpaid work and 10 rehabilitation days.