Man jailed for pulling shotgun from his house when he was supposed to collect money for Taxi fare

A Northampton man who entered his house to supposedly fetch money to pay for a taxi journey but came back out with a gun over his shoulder has been jailed for two years and nine months. 

Roger Thompson, 48, was arrested in 2016 after a taxi journey from Northampton town centre to Pitsford ended with the cabbie reportedly driving away 'fearing for his life'.

During Thompson's trial at Northampton Crown Court, the driver who took him home at around 4am on June 17, 2016, told the jury what he witnessed. 

On the journey from Northampton to Pitsford, Thompson reportedly became upset at the rising price of the cab fare, moaning that a speeding car had overtaken the cab. The driver told the jury: "I told the passenger 'that was dangerous'. I was just making conversation. He replied 'that wasn't dangerous, you'll see dangerous when we get there'." Once arriving at his property, the 48-year-old reportedly asked if he could fetch money from inside to pay the cab fare of £17.50. But Thompson emerged from his cottage home with a gun over his shoulder.

 The driver said: "As soon as I saw him, I just drove off. I was scared for my life. My legs were shaking."

Police officers were called to the cottage the next day where they searched and found two air rifles, a deactivated shotgun and a deactivated musket. The court heard how when the police arrived at Thompson's home, he opened the door and said: "I know what this is about. I had it with me when I came to the door." As reported by the Northampton Chronicle, Thompson was found guilty by a jury of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear or harm at Northampton Crown Court on March 18.