Man jailed for five years for possession of a shotgun

A man has been sentenced to five years behind bars following an investigation into a shooting in an underpass in Southampton.

The incident happened at 11.15pm on Friday 25 October in an underpass between Kingsway and Craven Street.

Officers deployed to the incident found a discarded pair of trainers, a phone and the shotgun used.

They later arrested a man, with no trainers on, in connection with the offence. 

We believe two men, aged 18 and 19, suffered minor injuries to their legs however neither supported a prosecution.

Amareece Singh Taak, aged 25, of Argyle Road, Southampton was charged soon after his arrest and on December 30 was jailed for five years after pleading guilty at Southampton Crown Court to:

• Possession of shotgun with intent to cause fear of violence
• Possession of a firearm lass than 30cm in length

Chief Inspector Phil Lamb said: “Violence of any kind is not tolerated in Southampton. Gun related crime is low but we understand any incident which involves a firearm is concerning to residents and visitors alike. We want to reassure you that we are doing all we can to reduce violence in the city and those found to be responsible will be dealt with robustly.
 
“Public safety is our priority and I would like to thank the members of the public who called 999 to inform us of this incident, the policing teams who responded, and those who managed the ongoing risk and led the investigation getting this result at court.”