Mum shot boy who shot her son in the face with toy gun

A MUM whose son was accidentally shot in the face with a toy gun then shot the offending child at close range with a BB gun before hitting him.

Swansea magistrates heard that Christina Richards’s tearful son came home after the incident involving a Nerf gun, which was said to fire foam pellets.

Prosecutor Lisa Jones said Richards had then gone outside and grabbed the culprit off the floor, loaded a BB gun and shot him in the arm.

She then hit and punched the youngster, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, in the back.

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The boy then went and told his grandparents and was taken to hospital, where a 10cm by 4cm mark was found on his upper back.

The incident took place on January 21 last year.

Richards, of Rufus Lewis Avenue, Gorseinon, was convicted of assault by beating in her absence last December — a time when her eighth child, who was born prematurely, was in intensive care.

A warrant was issued for Richards’s arrest by a district judge who, according to defence solicitor Grayson Tanner, said she should not be arrested unless it was convenient for her in regard to her newborn baby.

Richards appeared voluntarily at Monday’s court hearing.

Mr Tanner said his client had been distressed to see her son crying after being shot in the face.

“She went outside to remonstrate with the child, or children, and the child was verbally abusive to her,” said Mr Tanner.

He said his client had struck him, adding: “She slapped him when the victim spoke to her in an inappropriate manner.”

He added that his client did not seek to challenge the December court findings made in her absence, and had not wished to call child witnesses to give evidence.

Mr Tanner added that her premature baby was now at home and well.

Magistrates handed Richards a 12-month community order with a supervision requirement. They also told her to pay the victim £100 compensation, and imposed £85 court costs.