Pellet gun teacher refused bail

Linda Walker's lawyers will return to the Court of Appeal in May

A teacher jailed for firing a pellet gun at youths she claimed vandalised her house has been refused bail.

High Court judge Mr Justice Royce recognised Linda Walker's case was "unusual" and that she had a "great deal of public sympathy".

However, he said on Wednesday that this was "not a case for bail".

Walker, a special needs teacher from Urmston, Gtr Manchester, is serving a six-month sentence for firing at youths following a "campaign of vandalism".

She said she was under stress at the time of the incident on 14 August 2004.

Walker claimed a campaign of vandalism by "yobbos" had driven her to fire the gun at the feet of a gang of teenagers she confronted near her home.

Walker's appeal against both her conviction and sentence will now be heard at the Court of Appeal in May.