A MAN who twice fired a sawn-off shotgun at a Bradford house where a children’s party was taking place has been jailed for more than 13 years with an extended licence period.

Sean Durrant pointed the weapon at the address in Belmont Avenue, Low Moor, in front of a two-year-old girl who was celebrating her birthday and other family members, Bradford Crown Court heard today.

The house had a bouncy castle in full view and colourful banners and balloons that made it obvious that a young child’s party was being held there, prosecutor Gillian Batts said.

Durrant, 22, of Dick Lane, Bradford, pleaded guilty to possession of a double-barrelled shotgun with intent to endanger life on July 7 last year.

He was jailed for 13 years and two months by Judge Jonathan Rose who labelled him a dangerous offender and extended the licence period by three years.

The little girl’s mother said in her victim personal statement: “I never thought I would be protecting her against bullets being fired at her party.”

The woman told how she had burned her daughter’s party frock afterwards because it reminded her of the “horrendous incident.”

Miss Batts said there were 15 people at the party, including four children.

The semi-detached house in a residential area was a busy family home with three generations enjoying the celebration.

The court heard that Durrant had been friends with a man who lived at the house. His mother had welcomed him into their home and made him meals.

But the men had fallen out several years ago and matters had become “entrenched.”

On the night of the party, a family member spotted a silver BMW 1 Series passing the house several times.

The car was on false plates after being stolen in a burglary in Baildon the previous day.

At 10.15pm, the vehicle pulled up just past the bouncy castle.

Durrant, who was the front seat passenger and had the lower part of his face covered, pointed the gun out of the window at a man in the front garden.

The young girl was also outside and saw the weapon, Miss Batts said.

She ran round the side of the house while a man dived to the ground, the court was told.

Durrant fired the gun twice at the house. The shots, seconds apart, damaged the brickwork above the front window and near the door. A window frame, guttering and a gatepost were also struck.

Shot fragments were found on coloured crash mats in front of the bouncy castle.

Miss Batts said that Durrant was only a short distance from the property when he discharged both barrels of the gun.

He was identified at the scene and arrested on July 24.

While held on remand in Leeds Prison, he made repeated attempts to interfere with witnesses, the court was told.

He had three convictions for battery, one in which he armed himself with a hammer.

Miss Batts said the gun was never recovered and the BMW had also disappeared.

The girl’s mother said her daughter could have been killed.

Her statement, on behalf of all the family, said the child now panicked when she heard any loud noise.

Her brother, who was in the front garden suffered sleepless nights.

“I am in fear and I feel paranoid wherever I go,” the woman stated.

Jeremy Hill-Baker, Durrant’s barrister, said he had pleaded guilty and was not heavily convicted.

“This act is of a wholly different scale,” Mr Hill-Baker said.

Durrant told his probation officer that he just wanted to scare the occupants and not harm them.

He did not fire the gun until the little girl was safely out of the way.

Judge Rose read a letter from Durrant and several references that he conceded showed a positive side to him.

But the shooting was “a dangerous and wicked attack” that arose from a minor dispute.

It was obvious that a birthday party for a very young child was taking place at the address.

The smallest child was in view of Durrant when he pointed the gun out of the car window.

He had used a stolen car on false plates, showing a degree of “preparation and professionalism.”

“No one was injured but physical damage was done to the property and the real harm is the psychological impact,” Judge Rose said.

Judge Rose said that “condign punishment” would be meted out to those who used firearms.

“They have no place on the streets of this city or in this country,” he told Durrant.

Reports on Durrant showed that had difficulty controlling his temper, he was reckless and risk-taking and he put his pride above the consequences of his actions.

He presented a high risk of serious harm to the public by the commission of further offences.

Judge Rose made a restraining order without limit of time banning Durrant from contacting anyone who was at the house that night.