Gunman shouts at brave landlady as he's jailed for shooting her outside pub

The bravery of a landlady who was shot as she tried to stop an argument outside her pub will be recognised with an award, a judge said as he jailed the gunman for more than 11 years.

Bonita Page, 56, was outside The Red Lion in Wath upon Dearne, South Yorkshire, when Oliver Corney, 35, fired three times into a group of people, Sheffield crown court heard.

Mrs Page was hit in the leg and suffered "life-changing" injuries during the shooting on June 28th, 2024. Judge Jeremy Richardson KC said Corney had "narrowly avoided" a life sentence as "he could have killed anyone".

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Corney was jailed for 11 years and nine months, with an extended licence period of five years because he was a "dangerous offender". The defendant shouted "Mrs Page, I want to apologise to you," as he was led from the dock.

The judge told the court how Mrs Page had intervened in an argument earlier in the evening, which he said was probably to do with drugs. He said Corney heard about this altercation, although he was not involved, and went to the pub with a gun.

The judge said: "Your conduct in opening fire in a public place was exceptionally dangerous and could have killed anyone present."

He said: “You missed the individual at whom you were aiming and shot a very brave woman, Mrs Bonita Page – the licensee of the public house, who tried to prevent the earlier argument.

“She also sought to prevent you and others coming into the public house. She is deserving of the highest praise for her bravery.

“You, on the other hand, must be condemned and punished severely for your wanton and highly dangerous actions.”

Judge Richardson said Mrs Page now “regards herself as a shadow of her former self”, adding: “Her life has been sabotaged."

He said that she suffers from continuing pain and post traumatic stress disorder. The judge said: “The consequences of this for Mrs Page have been exceptionally serious.

“She was an active member of the community where she lived.

“She enjoyed being the licensee of the public house, but she has been forced to relinquish that role due to her injuries.”

And he said that immediately after the shooting she was “terrified and in immense pain.”

The judge said: “You have wrecked her life. She was a brave woman."

The court heard Corney has a lengthy criminal record including convictions for nine offences of violence, seven sexual offences, two offences involving firearms or a shotgun and offensive weapons, dishonesty, drug offences, harassment, breach of restraining orders as well as public order crimes.

Judge Richardson said he took into account that Corney's life “has been marinaded in emotional instability, mental disorder and deprivation” and he has lived his life “in a cauldron of mental illness which affected every aspect of your humanity”.

But he said: “You must be punished for this. You are plainly dangerous. The public must be protected.”

Labourer Corney, of Cricket Inn Road, Sheffield, admitted grievous bodily harm with intent, and possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence at an earlier hearing.

Judge Richardson invited Mrs Page and her family into his chambers after the hearing to thank her for her "very brave" actions and said she will be receiving an award from the High Sheriff of South Yorkshire at a ceremony later in the year.