Three Jailed for 44 Years Over Crays Hill Shooting

Three men have been jailed for a total of 44 years following a conviction for attempted grievous bodily harm with intent, possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life, and burglary offences in a shooting incident in Crays Hill.

Convictions and Sentences

Johnny Smith, 20, Donny Archer, 27, and Nelson Buckland, 21, were all convicted on Thursday 12 March following a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court. Smith, of Oak Road, Crays Hill, Buckland, of Risebridge Chase, Romford, and Archer, of Kelvedon Road, Tiptree were found guilty of multiple charges, including attempted GBH with intent, firearm possession, and burglary.

Smith was also convicted of driving while disqualified and driving without insurance. The convictions followed an incident in Gardners Lane North area in the early hours of 18 April last year.

Investigation and Evidence

Through their investigation, officers were able to establish that the trio had fired at a vehicle at around 12.30am. They had laid in wait as part of a feud between two groups, and during the attack, a van being driven in the area was struck multiple times by gunshot rounds, damaging the vehicle and narrowly missing the driver.

Officers were able to trace the movements of all three men before and after the incident, linking them to the area where the shooting took place. It was subsequently shown that Archer and Smith were also responsible for a burglary in Steeple Bumpstead on 16 March, where four shotguns were stolen. It is believed these guns were used in the attack a month later.

Stolen Vehicle and Evasion Tactics

Officers also established that the trio had stolen an Audi S3 during a burglary in Brentwood on 2 April, and this was used by them during the shooting and served as a getaway car. To avoid police post-offence, all three fled Essex soon afterwards, changing their appearances and using fake names to book hotels to evade arrest.

Archer had made internet searches related to the incident in the days after it happened. Voice messages sent from Smith’s phone stated he was expecting to be arrested over the incident and that he also expected to be going to prison ‘for a long time’. Review of prison phone calls also identified the suspects’ involvement in the offence and their plans to evade conviction.

Public Safety and Police Statement

At Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday 2 July, Smith was sentenced to 13 and-a-half years, Archer was jailed for 18 years, and Buckland received a sentence of 12 and-a-half years. Temporary Detective Inspector Steve Robson, who led the investigation, said:

“It was incredibly fortunate that no-one was injured as part of this incident. The actions of these three men put the public’s safety at risk and could easily have ended in tragedy. Due to the dedication, perseverance, and expertise of my team they were unable to avoid justice and they’re now facing the foreseeable future behind bars.”

Source and Verification

The information in this report is sourced from the Essex Police website, which provides detailed information on the case and the investigation. The report is based on verified facts and official statements from the police force. The source can be accessed at https://www.essex.police.uk/news/essex/news/news/2026/july/crays-hill-three-jailed-for-44-years-over-shooting-incident/.