A YOUTH who shot a 14-year-old boy in the face with a metal pellet gun had his sentence halved at London's Court of Appeal yesterday.

Andrew Nixon, 19, of Fairview, Ovington, near Richmond, North Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding at Teesside Crown Court on September 27, and was sent to a young offenders' institution for a year.

The court heard how Nixon had driven past a group of people in Richmond in May and shot the boy in the cheek.

Mr Justice Silber, with Mr Justice Grigson, cut Nixon's sentence to six months, noting his previous good character, impressive employment record and remorse.

Mr Justice Silber said Nixon claimed the group had made hand gestures at him and heard something hit his car. He stopped the vehicle, got a spring-loaded bb-gun from the boot, before going back and firing it at the youth.

The judge said: "When he was interviewed by police, he said he had been aiming at the victim's bike."

Reducing the sentence, the judge said Nixon was so shocked by the injury caused that he was unlikely to act in a similar way in the future. "