A Huddersfield man’s jail sentence has been more than doubled by top judges who ruled that his sentence following a nightclub shooting was far too soft.

Martin Roy Harriott is now out of prison and has until noon tomorrow (Sat) to hand himself into police.

The 36-year-old of Staynton Crescent, Bradley was handed an 18-month jail term at Bradford Crown Court on August 18.

But, because of time he had already served on remand and curfew he walked free from court.

Solicitor General Robert Buckland QC referred his sentence to London’s Appeal Court today, arguing it should have been much tougher.

And Lord Justice Davis, Mr Justice Fraser and Sir Nicholas Blake agreed, more than doubling Harriott’s sentence to three years and nine months which means he will be now locked up again.

In the early hours of January 31 last year, Harriott drove with Wayne Noel Bucknor, 35, in the passenger seat to Kewz Bar in Queen Street.

Kewz bar, Queen Street, Huddersfield.

Bucknor, of Farrar Drive, Mirfield, took a firearm from the car and concealed it in his jacket while Harriott kept watch, Lord Justice Davis said.

There was ‘some sort of disturbance’ on the first floor of the nightclub once Harriott and Bucknor were inside, he added.

They went outside and then returned with Bucknor going back up to the first floor and Harriott remaining on the stairs.

Bucknor produced the weapon from his jacket and fired a shot. The bullet hit the ceiling and a man sitting in the bar was hit in the face by shrapnel.

He needed seven stitches to a wound in his cheek.

Harriott was convicted of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence but was acquitted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Bucknor admitted both crimes, as well as a robbery in which he kicked and punched his victim and stole a mobile phone.

Harriott also admitted possession of a small amount of cocaine and cannabis found when addresses linked to him were searched.

Condemned as a dangerous offender, Bucknor was jailed for nine years and ordered to serve an extra three years on licence after his release.

Wayne Bucknor jailed for nine years

He had 11 previous convictions for 17 offences, including robbery, possession of a Taser and affray.

Harriott had six previous convictions for 13 crimes, including motoring offences and drug possession, the court heard.

The judge who jailed Harriott accepted that he did not ‘know or intend’ that the gun would actually be fired.

But Paul Jarvis, for the Solicitor General, argued Harriott’s jail term was ‘far too low’ for such a ‘serious offence’.

It ‘really should have been significantly higher’, he told the court.

Andrew Petterson, for Harriott, said: “I would concede it was lenient but not unduly so.”

But Lord Justice Davis ruled: “A sentence of 18 months simply cannot reflect the gravity of the offending. This was an unduly lenient sentence.”

The judge ordered that Harriott surrender to Dewsbury Police Station by 12pm tomorrow to complete his sentence.

Chloe Hudson, for Bucknor, appealed against his sentence, arguing that it was far too long and should be cut.

But Lord Justice Davis said: “There is no possible argument that this sentence was manifestly excessive.”