Three men were handed hefty jail terms for gang related shootings in December as the law started to catch up on gun criminals who have terrorised the Island.With a fourth convicted of attempted murder and awaiting sentence as the month ends, it means Bermuda’s courts have processed seven high-profile gun cases throughout 2011, with three men guilty of murder, four of attempted murder and another of handling a gun.But the early release of Cervio Cox, one third into a seven-year sentence for his part in a triple gang shooting, left many questioning whether the system is tough enough on those responsible for the violence which has led to 16 gun murders since May 2009.One of the most talked about cases was the shooting of 42 gang member Shaki Minors and his pregnant girlfriend Renee Kuchler outside Southside cinema in November 2009.On December 15, Jahmel Blakeney, the son of Families Minister Glenn Blakeney and an associate of Parkside, and Sanchey Grant were jailed for 30 years each for carrying out the attack.Blakeney had masterminded the shooting, arranging for Grant to shoot the victims after spotting them at a late-night showing of “Precious”; pregnant teacher Ms Kuchler lost her baby after the incident, and nearly lost her leg as a result of injuries, while Mr Minors suffered damage to his intestine.Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves described the crime as “the worst of the worst” and ordered the pair to spend at least 15 years behind bars before being considered for parole, a decision influenced, he said, by the early release of Cox a few days previously.Explaining their lengthy sentence, Mr Justice Greaves told Blakeney and Grant: “This kind of activity between these gangs has left an otherwise peaceful society in a state of shock and fear.”Nine days before Blakeney and Grant were sentenced, another gunman, Marico Bassett, was jailed for 25 years for the gang-related shooting of Randy Lightbourne outside the Charing Cross Tavern, Sandys, in July.Bassett had repeatedly fired at Mr Lightbourne, a friend of his father, in the bar’s parking lot, with Chief Justice Richard Ground telling him innocent bystanders could easily have been hit by a stray bullet.The offender was described by prosecutors as a soldier of the West End Money Over Bitches gang, attempting to carry out the task of murdering Mr Lightbourne with great gusto. Mr Lightbourne, who spent months in hospital with his injuries, had been perceived as a threat to MOB.Mr Justice Ground told Bassett at his sentencing on December 6: “It’s hard to put into words the havoc, panic and sheer human misery that gang violence causes.”On December 14, mentally challenged gunman Noet Barnett, a member of 42, was found guilty of attempted murder of his former friend Jeremiah Dill, who was a member of Parkside.That shooting, which took place in broad daylight as Mr Dill chatted to friends outside the One Stop grocery store in Parson’s Road, Pembroke, in October 2010, left the victim with multiple gunshot wounds. Barnett is awaiting sentencing.A major source of controversy in December was the release of Cox just 18 months after he was sentenced for seven years for being an accomplice in a May, 2009 triple attack in Court Street.Cox had been found guilty of three counts of wounding with intent to cause bodily harm but was eligible to apply for parole after spending two and a half years in Westgate.Police Commissioner Michael DeSilva confirmed the Police Service is not asked for an assessment of any potential threat to the community posed by violent offenders prior to them being freed on parole.Shortly after Cox’s release was made public, National Security Minister Wayne Perinchief announced the police and the Parole Board will sign an agreement to ensure information is shared on whether prisoners pose a threat if given early release.But that meant no relief for Blakeney and Grant as, during their sentencing, Mr Justice Greaves expressed his astonishment that Cox had been allowed out so quickly.He said of Cox: “There it is that he’s released on his first application [to the Parole Board], before Christmas. It would appear, had I sentenced him to five years, he would have been released before last Christmas. Isn’t that extraordinary?”And he added: “In this type of case, isn’t it proper that the court should reclaim its traditional and inherent power to demand that men sent to prison spend their time in prison rather than leave it to the executive branch to be releasing them?”As 2011 draws to a close, 12 of the gun murders since May, 2009 remain unsolved, with, most recently, two men suffering serious injuries in shootings in the week before Christmas.It left Mr Perinchief issuing a festive wish for more help from the UK and the international business community, and urging gang members themselves to believe in a mantra adopted in the Caribbean that “badness is outta style”.