Man Tried to Kill Neighbours for Pet Dog

21 January 2011, 06:32 | Updated: 21 January 2011, 15:38

A man who shot his nieghbours in an argument about a pet dog has been jailed for 18 years after being found guilty of attempted murder.

Kevin Barrett, 57, shot at David and Susan Venn with a shotgun last June.

Both of them were left with chest and hand injuries after a row started over the Venns' ``rottweiler-type'' dog, which Barrett said had made his wife Janice unwell with fear, Norwich Crown Court heard.

A gun expert told the court the shots could have caused lethal injuries.

In court, Barrett said he had begged his neighbours not to have the mastiff-rottweiler because his wife was so scared of it.

Detective Sergeant Jason Davis, who led the investigation, said it was ``down to luck'' that Mr and Mrs Venn survived the attack. He said: ``This case involved a neighbourhood dispute that got completely out of hand.

``It culminated in Barrett waiting in Mr and Mrs Venn's driveway with a loaded shotgun he had taken to the scene, and then attempting to shoot David Venn in the face at almost point blank range. It is extremely fortunate that Mr Venn was able to successfully take evasive action, else the injuries he suffered could have been far worse.''

Barrett will be sentenced at Norwich Crown Court this afternoon.