A man from Bury has been jailed for five years after a firearm was discharged multiple times at a house in Bolton

Anthony Kirwan (05/02/1983) of Oak Lane, Whitefield was sentenced today (Tuesday 22 December 2020) at Bolton Crown Court to five years imprisonment and an additional three years on license after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

At around 10.20pm on Thursday 6 September 2018, the victim awoke in her house on Eastwood Close, Bolton to the sound of what she thought was someone knocking loudly on the door. After rushing downstairs and answering the door, she soon discovered multiple bullet holes in her living room window and front door. One bullet had travelled the length of the house and was embedded into the fridge in the kitchen.

An investigation was launched and CCTV analysis showed a Citroen C1 Flair had driven onto Winterfield Drive before entering Eastwood Close, passing the victim’s address, and heading to the end of the cul-de-sac before turning around and heading back.

Having parked up on a nearby street, the occupants – Anthony Kirwan and another unidentified male – made way on foot back to Eastwood Close before they both approached the victim’s house. A firearm was subsequently discharged at the property and the two males fled the scene.

Enquiries later revealed a relative of Kirwan to be insured on the vehicle and analysis of DNA recovered on one of the cartridges at the scene matched that of Anthony Kirwan’s.

Detective Sergeant Joanne Little of GMP’s Bolton District said: “Kirwan’s actions that evening were dangerous, reckless and completely unacceptable.

“Thankfully no one was injured, but there could have been devastating consequences had the occupant of the house been downstairs at the time. Although no one was harmed, this incident left the occupants of the house and the local community understandably shaken.

“GMP is dedicated to ensuring our communities are kept safe and we will continue to do our utmost to ensure that firearms and weapons are removed from our streets. I hope today’s sentence is another step forward in providing that reassurance to the people of Greater Manchester.”