An Elgin man has admitted a “gangster-style” paintball revenge attack on a group of children – after they knocked at his front door and then ran away.
Joe Taylor, 29, lost the plot with two 12-year-old boys and an eight-year-old girl, chasing after them in his car before cornering them in a car park.
He then opened fire with his paintball gun, leaving them all “covered in bruises” and terrified.
The mum of one of the victims, who was in court to see his guilty plea, said the incident had traumatised the children.
Taylor appeared at in Elgin Sheriff Court for trial today but agreed to a late plea bargain, admitting to three of the four charges against him.
He admitted firing the weapon at the schoolchildren on January 20 this year.
Fiscal depute Victoria Silver accepted his plea and Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood deferred sentencing for reports to be produced.
‘What kids haven’t played knock-door-run before?’
The mum of one of the boys – who cannot be named for legal reasons – said she was relieved her son would not now have to give evidence as part of a trial.
She explained that the group had been “innocently” playing knock-door-run – also known as chickenellie and ding-dong-dash – but events had taken a turn for the worse after they had knocked on the door of Taylor’s home in the town’s Bain Avenue.
She said: “What kids haven’t played knock-door-run before? We’ve all done it. Our son admits he did kick the door too, but he went back to apologise when he saw how angry he was.”
However, the apology was not accepted, and Taylor then got into his car and began chasing the children – who were on foot.
“The kids made a run for it,” the mum explained. “But he managed to corner them in a car park. He rolled his window down and opened fire with the paintball gun.
“At first, they did not know it was a paintball gun – they were all terrified. He was hitting out indiscriminately – my son said it was ‘gangster-style’.
“He shot all the kids. The wee girl was shot in the neck – her skin was broken and bleeding – they were all covered in bruises.
“The bruising was close to their faces, and they were all really shaken up by the whole thing.
“We are relieved now that they didn’t have to give evidence – but we have had this worry and anxiety about it thinking they would have to.”
Parents confront paintball attacker
The mum went on to say that she and the mother of one of the other boys went round to Taylor’s house to confront him.
She said: “He’s got one of those camera doorbells, so he didn’t actually come to the door. We asked him if he had shot at our kids and he just laughed. He showed no remorse at all.”
The parents then contacted the police to report the incident.
“They weren’t hurting anyone,” she said. “I’m just so relieved that it didn’t get dragged through the court – the whole thing has just been very traumatic.”
Taylor will appear again at Elgin Sheriff Court next month when Sheriff Fleetwood will pass sentence after a restriction of liberty report has been produced.
