Watford Nightclub Gunman Jailed for Seven Years After Firing Shots
Elliot Simon, 28, was slammed with a seven-year jail sentence after firing four shots following a row outside a Watford nightclub.
Peacekeeper Turns Gunman
Simon, from Stanmore, initially tried to calm tensions during an argument with three men whose car blocked their way on a service road off Beechen Grove. But things escalated quickly.
The court heard Simon pulled out a small pistol and fired four times. Two bullets hit the rival car. One bullet even lodged in the driver’s seat — just inches from the victim.
Chaos After Club Night
- The victim and two friends left Pryzm nightclub after 3am on December 8, 2018.
- He stopped his silver Corsa to find his phone, switching on hazard lights.
- Simon and his mate Raydun Celestine, 25, also from Stanmore, left the club around the same time.
- Celestine’s Chevrolet was blocked by the Corsa, sparking a heated confrontation.
Prosecutor Charles Evans said Celestine got out shouting threats. Simon stepped in, trying to calm things down and pull Celestine away. But, under the influence of drink and drugs, Simon pulled a gun.
Shots Fired, Near Misses
Simon fired once, then again near the driver’s feet, causing the men in the Corsa to flee. As the victim drove off, Simon fired twice more. Simon was caught a few days later, while Celestine turned himself in.
Simon pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and cocaine possession. He also breached a suspended sentence for cannabis possession. He has a violent past, including a 2011 sentence for five robberies.
Celestine pleaded guilty to affray and has previous convictions for carrying weapons and cannabis possession.
Judge’s Stern Warning
“Far too many people in this country have been killed or seriously injured by guns,” Judge Philip Grey told Simon. “This was a real gun with real bullets. Your intention was to terrify that man and his friends. The bullet recovered from the driver’s seat was a matter of inches from hitting the victim. You came very close to taking a man’s life.”
Simon was also handed an 18-month community order requiring 120 hours’ unpaid work and attendance at 30 rehabilitation activity days.
