Man jailed for shooting at men trying to steal plants from his Manchester cannabis farm
Police said the attempted burglars escaped with their lives by 'sheer luck'
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Two men who tried to steal cannabis from a farm hidden in Manchester escaped with their lives by “sheer luck” after the owner started shooting at them.
The pair attempted to break into a house where the drug was being grown but ended up fleeing empty-handed as Steven Hyde chased them with a shotgun.
The 52-year-old, from Daisy Bank in Manchester, was jailed for eight-and-a-half years at Manchester Crown Court yesterday.
He had been found guilty of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life following a trial.
Greater Manchester Police said he fired a repeatedly at two men who attempted to steal cannabis from the farm he had hidden inside his home on 9 August 2012.
The men were not injured but a neighbour’s car was hit by the bullets.
Detective Constable Mike Keogh said: “It was only sheer luck that the victims were not hit and had they been, Hyde would have been facing much more serious charges than he faced today.
“Firing a shotgun at someone on a residential street because you believe they are trying to steal your cannabis farm is not only incredibly dangerous, but also shows a complete disregard for the safety of his neighbours.
“This sentence hopefully demonstrates that we simply will not tolerate guns in our communities.”