Two brothers staged a terrifying revenge attack on a firm of estate agents after they were told they were being evicted for non-payment of rent.
Joshua and Brandon Maas had failed to pay any rent for two months after moving in to a property in Trinity Square, Gateshead.
Carousel Estate Agents issued eviction proceedings.
About three hours after the Notice was posted through their door, the brothers drove in a Mercedes A class to the estate agent’s office and shot seven air pistol pellets through the window.
Luckily there were no staff in the office at the time but passers-by were reported to be terrified from witnessing the attack.
Newcastle Crown Court was told that the pair then drove to another location and fired shots at a Carousel company car.
In total they caused more than £5,000 of damage.
Five days later the Mercedes was searched by police and the air pistol, classed as a ‘lethal barrelled firearm’ was found.
Joshua Mass, 24, of Bamford Terrace, Palmersville, North Tyneside and Brandon Mass, 19, of Collingwood Court, Washington, both admitted affray and criminal damage.
Joshua Maas also admitted unrelated offences of dangerous driving, having no insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.
The court heard both brothers have a long list of previous convictions.
Joshua Mass was jailed for 12 months but has already spent five months on remand.
Brandon Mass was sentenced to nine months suspended for 18 months with a three month electronically monitored curfew for three months between 9pm and 7am.
Joshua Mass was also banned from driving for two years.
Jude Tim Gittins said: “Both of you, wholly wrongly, thought the estate agents were to blame and they weren’t, but even if they were, your reaction that night in driving to their shop and shooting at the windows, was wholly over the top.
“It was seriously criminal, you can’t simply go around firing weapons, even air weapons, in that way in public.
“There were other members of the public nearby, completely innocent members of the public who saw somebody shooting what they thought was a genuine pistol repeatedly towards that window.
“Your principle aim was to cause damage to the shop in some form of revenge to scare the estate agents when they found out about it, but you caused the passers-by considerable concern and alarm even if you didn’t intend to.
“You terrified passers-by and led to shop staff fearing something else would happen in the days that followed.”
Comments (12)
I blame script writers. So many drama programmes and films are now heavy into violence, tapped into the violence geno for entertainment that for some its part of real everyday life. Mary Whitehouse was always right on this subject.
Purplebricks could sign them up for the Olympic Shooting Team
On a serious note – their action suggests that it’s not that much of a leap from pellet to bullet
Stronger sentences required for discharging any type of “firearm” in such a manner
Meanwhile a Director for Shelter said ‘This is outrageous, it was only 2 months of non payment of rent, they should have been given at least six before an eviction notice’, and they were only air pistols’. ‘We at Shelter think the landlord should be made to let them rent the property free for a year once they are out of prison’ ….’Now where’s my Porsche, I’m off on holiday to the Bahamas’!
Thank you davehedgehog, really made me laugh!
Davehedgehog, Thank you, I second the thanks from Joseph60 – this really did make me laugh… (and is quite probably a true representation of Shelters stance on this)
Sad reflection on parenting. If kids are not given a moral compass by their parents it is no wonder they behave like this feral pair. What’s the betting they will end up spending most of their lives in prison.
19 & 24, these are not “kids” , these are “tw@ts”
There is something that most decent agents do, this is known as reference checks. Perhaps Carousel Estate Agents should do some basic checks before risking their clients properties in the future.
These shi##s should also be made to leave the city. 100 miles for life.
Also charge their scum parents.
…that is usually optional. Perhaps the landlord didn’t want to pay for checks…?
Would you manage a property where the landlord wouldn’t want to take references? I wouldn’t – what’s the point in storing up trouble?
I doubt the landlord is paying for the £5k damages, and for sure the culprits won’t be paying for it .
One reason why these ‘IT Platforms for landlords’ getting rid of agents should be avoided. Paper exercise is not referencing.