Manchester, UK -- A teacher who opened fire with a pellet gun after "yobbos" launched a campaign of vandalism against her family has been jailed for six months.
Linda Walker, 48, who teaches children with behavioural problems, kept the gun in her underwear drawer for four months after her shed was burgled.
In August last year a confrontation with a gang of youths drove her to fire the weapon at the pavement near one teenager's feet. Walker was found guilty of affray and possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence after a week-long trial at Manchester Crown Court.
The teacher was sentenced to six months in jail for possessing the firearm and one month in jail for affray.
Recorder Louis Browne told her the sentences would run concurrently. He said she would serve half the sentence and that the rest of the term would be suspended.
Walker, wearing a light pink skirt and white shirt, showed little emotion as her sentence was read out at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court.
Her 56-year-old partner John Cavanagh, who was cleared of affray last month, showed no emotion either.
Sentencing Walker, the judge told her the offences she had committed were "serious" and that her response to the incident had been "wholly disproportionate".
A spokesman for Salford City Council said: "Linda Walker was suspended from her teaching post pending this police investigation and court action.
"Now legal proceedings are ended, any formal disciplinary action can also be concluded. This will be completed as quickly as possible."
Um... a pellet gun? Or, as I prefer to call it, a varmint gun? Ridiculous. Notice that the article says little about the actual CRIMINALS in this case, the vandals who continued to pester this woman. Notice that she didn't bring the pellet gun to SCHOOL. She was protecting her HOME. I just love the message this sends to other violent youths in the UK: Go ahead and make all the mischief you want; if someone bothers you about it, we'll put them in jail for you so you can go on about your criminal activities unhindered.
No, I think they should've given this woman an honorary policeman's badge. Heck, any teacher who deals with behavior disorders should get honorary policeman's badges and be allowed to pack heat at all times, in school and out. It would cut down significantly on the crap that kids try to get away with in school; if those little creeps down in the BD room here at this high school (and don't get me wrong, I love them all and know them well, but a couple of them are truly creeps) knew that Mrs. K packed a pistol and knew how to use it, they'd change.
Yes, this is the UK -- Gun Control Heaven.
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