A gunman who was locked up for blasting off two shots during an intended robbery in Dewsbury has had his jail time increased by top judges in London.
Michael Scott Bowman, 48, fired the gun inside and outside a property in Clarkson Street, Ravensthorpe, during a terrifying raid in June 2012.
He was jailed for 16 years later that year, but on Friday took his case to court in London in a bid for a cut in his sentence.
But after describing his case as “meritless”, top judges dismissed it – and tacked an extra six weeks onto his sentence for wasting their time.
“We consider this application to be without any merit whatsoever,” said Judge David Aubrey QC at the Court of Appeal in London.
The court heard Bowman, of no fixed abode, had gone to the house with others with the intention of robbing the occupier.
A gunshot was heard after the men entered the property and Bowman was seen carrying the weapon as they left.
He then stopped and fired the gun again, hitting the windscreen of a Renault Laguna.
The men then sped off. Police found them driving south on the M1 and began to give chase.
They were arrested after abandoning the vehicle and the gun and fleeing into a pub.
Both Bowman and his accomplice, Mark Lennon, were convicted of having a firearm with intent to endanger life, and possessing bullets and a prohibited firearm.
They each received the same sentence of 16 years at Leeds Crown Court in December 2012.
Bowman argued that it was wrong that he got the same sentence as Lennon.
He was not the organiser or the person who supplied the vehicle involved, only getting involved at a late stage, he said.
Refusing the appeal bid, Judge Aubrey, sitting with Lord Justice Simon and Mr Justice Jeremy Baker, said Bowman had no case.
“The judge set out in detail why the sentence on Bowman and the co-accused were to be the same,” he said.
“His reasoning cannot be criticised. We consider this application to be without any merit whatsoever.”
To punish Bowman for attempting the hopeless appeal, the judges ordered that 42 days already served in prison should not count towards his sentence.
