'You'd better run, I'm going to shoot you'

A BULLYING thug who was shooting at wildlife on the River Tees, turned his BB gun on a teenage boy and shot him in the back.

- By ESTHER HALLIGAN Reporter

The 17-year-old victim had been on the river bank at Thornaby, socialising with his friends when Tyler Colligan, now 20, arrived with his own pals.

The victim had never met his attacker. Colligan was shooting at birds and swans before he turned his weapon on his victim.

Colligan told the boy: “You'd better run, I’m going to shoot you.”

As the boy turned to run, Colligan fired a bullet into his back and shouted: “If you tell the police, I'll batter you.”

The victim ran home and his parents took him to James Cook University Hospital, where he was treated for a 1cm bullet entry wound. Colligan was arrested but refused to answer police questions.

He was granted bail but went onto carry out further offences.

He appeared at Teesside Crown Court on Friday afternoon, via video link from Holme House prison.