A gunman who shot his girlfriend in the neck has been jailed for an indeterminate period for the protection of the public.

Alan Michael Long, 34, blasted Sarah Gabrielides with a sawn-off shotgun after they argued about him cheating on her with his own stepsister at the home they shared at Belper Road, Eccles.

But, he escaped an attempted murder charge after the court heard that while he had cocked the weapon and held it at point blank range, he had not intended to shoot her, and that a fault made the bullet fire.

Who else has been locked up in February? Sentences and photo gallery

After giving Ms Gabrielides a towel to staunch the blood and calling an ambulance he pushed past the victim’s screaming three-year-old daughter and fled the scene with the shotgun, a handgun, and ammunition in a bag.

But he was soon caught after confessing to a man on a bus what he had done.

The mystery man, who followed Long through the streets and told police where he was, has been given a £400 reward by Judge Anthony Gee QC, sentencing, who commended his public-spirited actions.

On Friday at Manchester Crown Court Long was jailed indeterminately for the public protection. He must serve a minimum of six years, but if the parole board believe he is a danger to women, he may never leave jail.

Long admitted possessing the shotgun and a 9mm handgun with intent to endanger life, plus charges of possessing ammunition and farming 29 cannabis plants discovered at his home after his arrest.

The court heard that in the weeks leading up to the attack Ms Gabrielides had begged her ‘abusive and physically violent’ partner to stop growing cannabis.

Then, on August 17 last year, he told his partner that he had been sleeping with his stepsister.

Disgusted

Prosecuting, Alaric Bassano said that after Ms Gabrielides told him she was ‘disgusted’ and threatened to leave him, he punched and kicked her before telling her ‘if I can’t have you, no-one else will’.

He then pulled the shotgun, which was in two different pieces, from his trousers, before fitting them together, loading it, cocking back the hammer, and pressing it against her neck.

After the gun went off Long tried to flee for Warrington. But, while on the bus, he confessed his crime to a passenger and showed him the shotgun.

Judge Anthony Gee rejected Long’s claim that he had found the bag containing the guns by the Manchester Ship Canal, as Long told a probation officer that he was looking after the arsenal for a friend at the time of the shooting.

Sentencing, the judge said: “It’s difficult to imagine anything more dangerous to human life than pointing a loaded, cocked gun at another at point blank range.”

He added: “It’s pure good fortune that the injuries inflicted were not more serious or even fatal.”

The court heard Ms Gabrielides, who has a made full recovery, has since forgiven Long, who has a string of convictions for violence and dishonesty.

Who else has been locked up in February? Sentences and photo gallery