Man jailed for attempted murder

A Hatfield man was jailed yesterday, Friday 19 July, for attempted murder following a reported shooting in Stevenage last year.

Tommy Harber, aged 51, of Holwell Lane, appeared at Peterborough Crown Court where he was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

He was also disqualified from driving for an extended period and will need to retake an extended test.

Harber was found guilty of attempted murder following a month-long trial which concluded on Tuesday 21 May.

The jury heard that on Wednesday 6 September 2023, there was an altercation between two other men – Terry Holmes and Tommy Harber Junior – at a location believed to be in Holwell Lane.

Holmes then left the location in a van followed by Harber Senior and Harber Junior in a Mercedes car and the two vehicles headed towards Stevenage on the A1(M).

At around 6.30pm, both vehicles exited the motorway at Junction 7 (Stevenage) and the Mercedes was then involved in a collision with a private ambulance and two other private vehicles on the roundabout above the A1(M).

The Mercedes and van travelled on into Stevenage, along Lytton Way, and past the police station where gunshots were heard. Lytton Way was subsequently closed to allow a full investigation to be carried out.

Tommy Harber Senior was traced and subsequently arrested on Thursday 7 September. Officers recovered the van in the Hitchin area the next day and found visible bullet holes in the driver’s door.

Detective Sergeant Robert Muir, from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, said: “Harber is a dangerous individual and it is right that he will now face justice for his actions.

“The incident understandably caused concern amongst the local community at the time, and I hope the news today reassures the public that we will work hard to keep you safe and bring criminals to justice. All three men knew each other, and we believe there was a long running feud between them.”

Both Terry Holmes and Tommy Harber Junior were part of the trial involving Tommy Harber Senior. Both had also been charged with attempted murder in connection with the altercation in Holwell Lane in September.

• Terry Holmes, aged 32, of Dyes Lane, Stevenage, was found not guilty of the attempted murder of Tommy Harber Junior.
• Tommy Harber Junior, aged 26, of Holwell Lane, was found not guilty of the attempted murder of Terry Holmes.