Three men have been jailed after shots were fired during a busy Friday night in Holmfirth town centre. Cole Brooke, 22, of Huddersfield, was sentenced to five years and four months in prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence during the incident on February 16, 2024.
Marshall Wilkinson, 21, and Morgan Rowley, 25, both from Meltham, were found guilty of the same offence and sentenced to two years following a trial at Leeds Crown Court.
Two others, Cameron Rowley and Louis Morgan, both 24, received two-year suspended sentences after being convicted of assisting an offender.
West Yorkshire Police reported that the incident began around 9:45 p.m. when a car carrying five people, including Brooke, stopped near Wilkinson and Rowley. An altercation ensued, leading to a chase where one man wielded a machete and another fired a gun.
Brooke also fired a gun during the confrontation, but fortunately, the bullet struck a nearby building and no injuries occurred.
In addition to his firearm conviction, Brooke received an 18-month sentence for violent disorder, to run concurrently. Wilkinson and Morgan Rowley also received concurrent 18-month sentences for violent disorder, with Rowley receiving an extra 12 months for possession of a bladed weapon.
Detective Constable Amy Hirst highlighted the danger of the incident, noting it occurred on a busy night when innocent bystanders could have been seriously harmed or killed.
