Leeds gunman who fired at shopkeeper during robbery and pistol whipped kidnap victim is jailed for 25 years

A court heard Benjamin Mills was "fortunate" not to have been shot by armed police when he reached into his pocket as he tried to escape being arrested over the offences.

Mills was handed the huge custodial sentence by a judge who said the public needed to be protected from him.

Mills' accomplice in the robbery, Ruwen James, was jailed for six years and nine months.

Leeds Crown Court heard how Mills and James carried out the armed robbery at Neils Superstore, Reginald Row, Chapeltown, on December 1, 2018.

CCTV footage showed the pair in the street near to the shop for around two hours before the raid which took place at 6pm.

Mills entered the store carrying a gun and James was armed with a knife.

Once inside, Mills grabbed hold of a customer and held the gun to his head.

He then told the shopkeeper to hand over money or the customer would be shot.

The shopkeeper handed cash and cigarettes to James as he brandished the knife.

The pair left the store but returned moments later.

James made further threats with the knife before taking a charity money box.

Mills then fired the gun into the premises.

CCTV footage captured the moment he discharged the weapon.

The bullet narrowly missed the shopkeeper and struck bottles of alcohol behind him.

Describing the incident, sentencing judge, Recorder Abdul Iqbal QC said: "You discharged it gratuitously through the open shop door.

"The danger to life was obvious. The fear and psychological harm it must have caused is real."

Mills was then involved in an armed kidnapping four days later at a house on Glossop Street, Woodhouse.

The victim answered a knock on his door and was confronted on the doorstep by Mills and another man.

Mills was again armed with a gun and threatened the victim as they entered the house.

The man was pushed onto a sofa and the weapon was pointed at him.

The other man was armed with a knife as the pair demanded money.

The victim told them that they must have come to the wrong house as he did not have any cash.

Mills searched the house for money before returning and holding the gun to his head. He said: "I will smoke you."

He then fired the gun so close to the victim's face that he was left with ringing in his ears.

Mills struck him with the weapon to the temple area, leaving him covered in blood.

Fearing for his life, he told the pair he could take them to a friend's house where he could get them some money.

The attackers took the keys to the victim's partner's car and drove him to an address in Harehills.

The court heard the property was the home of the victim's sister but she was not at home at the time.

The victim managed to run off after Mills got out of the car to go the house.

Mills and James were arrested the next day by armed police on Mushroom Street, Lincoln Green.

As the officers approached them both defendants ran off.

James was detained and arrested in possession of a knife.

Mills continued to run and reached into his pocket.

The officers feared that he was going to produce a gun but managed to detain him without discharging their own weapons.

Prosecutor Christopher Dunn said: "It is very fortunate that Mr Mills was not shot."

Mr Dunn said Mills was arrested in possession of a man bag which contained the gun used in the two earlier offences and a self-loading pistol, along with ammunition.

Bullet casings recovered from the robbery and kidnapping incidents were linked to the gun.

Mills was also in possession of a lock knife.

Mills, 31, of Blenheim Square, Woodhouse, faced two trials over the incidents.

He was found guilty of robbery, kidnap, two counts of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life, two of possessing a firearm at the time of committing an offence, possessing ammunition without a firearm certificate, three of possessing a firearm when prohibited and possessing a bladed article.

James, 28, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to robbery, having a bladed article and making threats with a bladed article.

The court heard both defendants have lengthy criminal records for serious offences.

Mr Dunn said Mills is known to have six different aliases and four alias dates of birth.

He has served prison sentences in the past for street robbery, assault, possessing drugs and breaching anti-social behaviour orders.

Richard Bridgen, mitigating for Mills, said his client now accepted responsibility for the offences.

Robin Frieze, for James, said the defendant pleaded guilty at an early stage and had been in custody awaiting sentence for more than three years.

Sentencing Mills, Recorder Iqbal said: "I am about to pass very long sentences of imprisonment that are wholly justified by the extremely serious nature of this offending.

"These long sentences of imprisonment will provide significant protection for the public in the future."

After the case, Detective Superintendent Fiona Gaffney, of West Yorkshire Police Firearms Prevent and Investigations Team, said: “The criminal use of firearms is something we will always treat extremely seriously and do everything we can to bring those responsible to justice.

“The incidents in this case will have been absolutely terrifying for the members of the public who were unfortunate enough to be targeted.

"Not only were the victims threatened at gunpoint with a loaded weapon, but live rounds were recklessly discharged by Mills on both occasions without any thought to the potentially deadly consequences that could have resulted.

“Both men were quickly identified as suspects and a firearms operation was put in place to locate and detain them.

"Those arrests took place in what was clearly a very challenging and dynamic situation that was swiftly brought to a safe conclusion through the professionalism and cool headedness of the firearms officers who carried it out.

“A thorough and detailed investigation by specialist firearms offence detectives built up a comprehensive package of evidence that has finally seen both men held accountable for their actions and given significant jail terms.

“We hope this successful outcome will reassure the victims of these offences and the wider community, and also send a very clear message to others of how seriously the police and courts will treat offences involving firearms.”