Bedford armed siege: Men jailed after row over takeaway escalates into 12-hour police operation

Two anti-social addicts who shot at police during an armed siege triggered by a row with a takeaway delivery driver have been jailed.

Paul Burton, 45, and 37-year-old Nathan Turner also threw paint over patrol cars and private vehicles from an eighth floor flat during the 12-hour stand-off with armed officers

The incident began during the early hours of Sunday, 27 November last year when Burton and Turner, who had both been drinking and taking drugs, confronted the delivery driver outside their flat over the allegedly late and cold delivery, demanding he gave them their money back. The duo only let the takeaway driver leave around an hour later when a colleague came to collect him.

Neighbours Burton and Turner were moving between their flats and playing loud music when shortly before 6am, two other residents of the block in Bedford told them to keep the noise down. But Burton and Turner came into the communal corridor with Burton holding what one neighbour believed to be a rifle and pointed it at her door.

She called the police and at around 6.15am armed officers arrived, with Burton and Turner retreating into Burton’s flat and threatening to shoot the first officer who tried to come in. Over the course of the morning Burton used what turned out to be an air rifle to fire at a police vehicle with an officer inside from his balcony, smashing the windscreen.

Turner threw items including paint and plant pots at vehicles parked underneath the balcony, also causing significant damage. Specialist firearms officers and police negotiators were sent to the scene. Turner was the first to leave the flat at around 12.30pm, with Burton following at around 5.50pm. Both men were arrested, while the rifle and another imitation firearm were found at the address.

Their actions were branded “lawless anti-social behaviour” in court. Burton, of Bedford, pleaded guilty to attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent and two counts of possession of an imitation firearm to cause fear of violence. He was jailed for seven years.

Turner, also of Bury Court, Bedford, pleaded guilty to affray and five counts of criminal damage. He was locked up for 20 months.

Detective Chief Superintendent William Hodgkinson, of Bedfordshire Police, said: “This kind of mindless and dangerous behaviour is completely unacceptable. The behaviour of these men left innocent people fearing for their lives, caused disruption to dozens of innocent people and also took considerable police resources to resolve. I am glad that we were able to resolve this issue so professionally and whilst they have both been in custody ever since, I am pleased their appalling behaviour has been met with such strong prison sentences.”