Gang jailed over cannabis raid shooting

Four men have been jailed for more than 30 years each for trying to kill two people as they went to rob a cannabis factory.

Paul Oates, 40, Callum Rogers, 27, Oliver Jebson, 28, and Samuel Jebson, 25, opened fire on two men on Bentley Road, Doncaster, on 18 August 2021, after travelling from Rotherham.

One of the victims, who was also stabbed, suffered gunshot and knife wounds in the attack, while the other narrowly escaped serious injury, Sheffield Crown Court was told.

Oates was jailed for 32 years, while the other three defendants were each sentenced to 31 years in prison.

All four had been found guilty of two counts of attempted murder and one count of conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life following a trial.

Judge Jeremy Richardson KC said it was "impossible" to say which of the defendants carried the gun and which of them had the knife.

But he said both he and the jury could be sure that each of them knew of the weapons and that they all intended for "either or both to be used to injure or kill".

He added: "None of you gave any evidence at trial, none of you has told the truth.

"This was a joint enterprise in which you all participated and each of you had that intention to kill."

Judge Richardson said the men had "harboured" a willingness to use their weapons if "trouble" arose and had "mistakenly" thought the two victims were involved in the cannabis factory they were trying to plunder.

The court was told the quartet returned to Rotherham after the attack and changed their clothes, while the Nissan X-Trail they used to travel in was disposed of.

The 26-year-old victim who was seriously hurt needed surgery for injuries to his lower abdomen, it was said, while he required critical care for a period of time.

Oates, of Weston Road in Rotherham, Rogers of Beauchamp Road in Rotherham, Oliver Jebson, of Fretwell Road in Rotherham, and Samuel Jebson, of St Leonard's Avenue in Rotherham, were told their sentences were made longer because of the presence of a second victim, even though they escaped injury.

Det Sgt Andrew Jones, the officer in charge of the case, said: "This was a horrific attack in which both victims were inches just away from suffering fatal injuries.

"These men acted like thugs and there is no place for them or their actions in our community."

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