A man fired an air rifle out the window at a group that went on to kick down his door and stab him repeatedly.

Mitchell Hodges, 40, had been due before Oxford Crown Court this week to stand trial on charges of possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and possession of the air rifle in the face of a prohibition due to previous offences for which he had been jailed.

He was given more than three years’ imprisonment in 2010 for dealing drugs. That sentence meant he was banned from owning the air rifle.

On Monday, Hodges, of Busby Drive, Minster Lovell, pleaded guilty to the second charge but maintained his denial to the first.

Prosecutor Julian Lynch confirmed those pleas were acceptable to the Crown.

He said that Hodges had been seen firing an air rifle out of his Carterton flat window into the street on August 12, 2020.

“[There is] no dispute those men subsequently kicked the door of his flat in and stabbed him,” Mr Lynch added. The stabbers were never identified.

Judge Michael Gledhill KC agreed to a request from defence advocate Kellie Enever for a probation pre-sentence report.

He bailed Hodges to return to the crown court for sentence on December 8.

The offence to which he has pleaded guilty carries a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment.

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This story was written by Tom Seaward. He joined the team in 2021 as Oxfordshire's court and crime reporter.  

To get in touch with him email: Tom.Seaward@newsquest.co.uk

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