RAF reservist praised by judge for tackling armed thug by running him over with his BMW
Wayne Ballinger, 57, and his wife were watching television in the lounge of their listed building home on a quiet country lane when they heard a noise from another room
AN ex-RAF reservist was commended by a judge for tackling an armed guard who threatened to shoot him at point-blank range.
Wayne Ballinger decided to call his bluff before running him over with his BMW.
The 57-year-old and his wife were watching television in the lounge of their listed building home on a quiet country lane when they heard a noise from another room.
The pair were shocked when they found three holes in two windows, made by a weapon firing at their house.
Mr Ballinger drove his BMW up and down the lane to investigate and spotted Matthew Martindale, 34, walking with his arm behind his back.
Martindale then produced an imitation firearm and pointed it at Mr Ballinger before threatening to shoot him.
Incredibly, Mr Ballinger "called his bluff" and told him he "better make the shot a good one" which caused the gunman to back away.
He then accelerated his BMW towards Martindale who toppled over the bonnet before sprinting off into woodland.
Armed police were called and one officer came "within a hair's breadth" of shooting him before he was arrested.
Martindale, of Wichenford, Worcs., admitted criminal damage of the windows and having a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
Jailing him for four years, Judge Robert Juckes QC told Martindale he had come very close to getting himself shot by armed police.
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The judge also praised Mr Ballinger and said he had shown a "considerable amount of courage" in standing up to the gunman.
He added: "He thought he was dealing with a man armed with a pistol who had behaved in an unpredictable and hysterical fashion."
Worcester Crown Court heard Mr Ballinger, who lives in Wichenford, bravely confronted Martindale at around 8.30pm on June 26 this year.
Prosecutor Ian Ball said the crook ran away after the brave homeowner "called his bluff."
He added: "He told him he had better make the shot a good one or he would break his neck when he got hold of him."
The court heard armed officers rushed to the sleepy village and were searching the countryside when they heard someone shouting "is that the police?" from bushes.
Mr Ball said Martindale then emerged from a ditch in the hedgerow with a realistic looking black pistol.
He added: "The officer raised his gun, shouted 'armed police' and told him to stay still.
"The officer had his finger on the trigger and repeatedly shouted at him to lay the weapon down and not make any sudden movements."
The court heard the officer came "within a hair's breadth of firing his own lethal police issue firearm" as Martindale brought the gun up to throw it away.
Mr Ball added: "The officer said later this incident was the closest he had ever come to firing his own gun at someone."
After he was arrested, Martindale - who has a history of mental health issues - started to behave hysterically and injured himself by headbutting the interior of the police van.
Niall Skinner, defending, said Martindale had bought the legal BB gun for £100 a month before and used it to shoot magpies.
He told the court he was firing it at the birds when he hit Mr Ballinger's windows and had panicked and wanted to run away.
Mr Skinner added: "He could have been shot. He could have been killed and all because he went out to shoot some birds in trees with a BB gun."
Speaking after the hearing, Mr Ballinger said he acted on instinct when Martindale pointed the weapon at him.
The ex-RAF reservist added: "I wanted to incapacitate him because he still had the weapon in his hand.
"I reversed back off him and went on to grab hold of him and then he picked the pistol up again and then ran into the apple orchards.
"I was trying to stop him. He could have gone up into the village, he had a pistol.
"I didn't know if it was loaded or unloaded. Who knows what he could have done?
"At the time I wasn't frightened at all. At the time I was just livid.
"He was completely irrational, screaming and shouting, there was nothing composed about him.
"Afterwards when I thought about it, I thought maybe it wasn't the greatest decision. I wasn't going to let him get away with it."
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