A gunman who blasted someone in the leg after being kicked out of a Downham 10-year-old's birthday party has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years.

Alfie Gannon, 21, had argued with a member of the child's family in Ravenscar Road on May 18 last year and was asked to leave the party.

On leaving the house shortly after 4pm, he made threats to kill the 32-year-old family member and then returned around five hours later, entering the home and behaving aggressively.

The man he had argued with previously had left the party, so Gannon asked his brother to come outside and speak to him.

Once at the front of the house, he shot the brother - who had his seven-year-old tepson with him - in the leg with a semi-automatic pistol before speeding off in a purple Ford Fiesta.

Following a police appeal and manhunt, he was tracked down to Kent last November and charged.

Gannon, of no fixed abode, was sentenced at Croydon Crown Court today (April 14) for GBH and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. He had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing.

Detective Chief Inspector Lee Watling, from the Met's Trident West Reactive Team said: "I am pleased that Gannon will be now serving a substantial custodial sentence for what was a shocking incident at a child's birthday party. Understandably both the children and guests at the party where extremely traumatised by the senseless actions of Gannon.

"This was a lengthy and protracted investigation which led to an extensive manhunt across large parts of the country. I hope this sentence sends a clear message to those involved in gun crime that Trident officers will relentlessly pursue them and they can expect to be caught and placed before the courts."