Leighton Griffin Rankine Jr (37) was sentenced last Friday (23) to 13 years imprisonment by acting Judge Marva MacDonald-Bishop.

Rankine was found guilty after his trial in June for assault, wounding with intent, unlawful use of a firearm and the possession of an unlicensed firearm.

Rankine had been involved in an altercation with his two complainants, Jordan McLean and Joylon Fredericks, in the Grand Pavilion parking lot on West Bay Road in February near a local nightclub called Club 7.

He fired his gun, which was in his car, on the complainants hitting one of the men before getting a kick to his face leaving him unconscious.

When the police arrived he was still holding the gun.

Rankine had been partying and drinking before the altercation and had previous convictions for violent behaviour. He was also a drug user.

Judge MacDonald-Bishop said that although the maximum penalty for wounding with intent was life imprisonment, she did not feel the need for a “manifestly excessive” sentence but it should be heavy enough to act as a deterrent to those walking with firearms.