Armed vigilante brothers jailed for over 40 years after shooting at motorcycle thieves

Two brothers have been jailed for over 40 years for shooting at a pair of suspected motorcycle thieves in Greenhithe, Kent. The incident took place on Sunday, 8 March 2020 in a communal car park area in Cooper Close, It followed a group of people attempting to steal motorcycles earlier in the evening, who fled after being disturbed by a local.

Two of them then returned to the scene later on, by which time the owners of the bikes Christopher and Colin Nourse, had armed themselves with guns and were waiting. They then opened fire on the pair, before leaving in separate vehicles and meeting at Christopher’s house in London.

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“These two men decided to arm themselves with firearms after somebody sought to steal their motorcycles,” Detective Superintendent Gavin Moss, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate said. “This was extremely reckless and, when one of them discharged his weapon in a residential area, it is only by chance that a member of the public unconnected with the incident did not suffer a fatal injury.”

Police alerted after reports of gunshots

Following reports of gun shots, Kent Police were further alerted to a man with bullet injuries at nearby Darent Valley Hospital. Six 9mm calibre and nine 0.4 inch calibre ammunition casings were found at the scene, with the brothers arrested on location when they arrived back to find the police still completing their investigations.

A search of both of their houses further revealed gun accessories. A 0.4 inch calibre cartridge, a lock knife, and a taser were also recovered from the two cars the brothers had used after the shooting. A handgun used was later found discarded under a car in Penge, South East London.

Christopher Nourse was convicted of attempted murder and possession of a prohibited weapon (a 9mm handgun). Colin Nourse was found not guilty of attempted murder but guilty of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

On Wednesday, 20 December 2023, Christopher, 45, was jailed for 30 years’ imprisonment and Colin, 42, was jailed for 14 years. Both will have to serve two thirds of their jail time before they are eligible for parole, before being required to complete a further four years on licence.