Ben Campbell, aged 40, has been jailed for five years after admitting possession of an illegal firearm. Campbell’s DNA was found on the trigger of a Slovakian-made Grand Power pistol that was seized, along with a magazine of live ammunition, at a property in Leeds, West Yorkshire in October 2023. Campbell initially denied any knowledge of the gun but later said he had been given the gun to store in a vacant property and had later returned it. He refused to say who had given him the weapon.

Following a report that three bullets had been found near the town hall in St Helens, police recovered the ammunition for forensic examination. Click on media link to read full report.

Police officers arrested a man on suspicion of possession of a firearm in a public place after a handgun was spotted in his bag at a supermarket in Tamworth, Staffordshire. No threats were made and no one was injured.

Following a day of specialist police activity in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, two replica firearms were seized. Click on media link to read full report.

A man was charged with possession of a firearm and possession of Class B drugs with intent to supply after police officers carried out a warrant at a property in Farnworth, Greater Manchester. The fire service and a bomb disposal unit supported the search.

Andrew Dobbie, aged 53, has been handed a suspended twelve-month jail sentence and ordered to complete fifteen days of rehabilitation activities after being convicted of possession of a stolen army sniper rifle. The English-made RPA Quadlite bolt action rifle was found by police officers who searched a stable block in Kirkby, Merseyside in April 2020. The weapon had been stolen from a business that had applied to paint to the weapon on behalf of the army. Dobbie, whose DNA was found on the trigger, claimed to have been “minding” the firearm for others. On sentencing, the judge said that although there was “no suggestion” that Dobbie intended to use the rifle, it would have been available to organised criminals.

A man was treated in hospital after being shot in the face at a property in St Helens, Merseyside. A man has since been charged with possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition without a certificate, possession of a firearm when prohibited for life and possession of ammunition for a firearm when prohibited for life.

Xavier Curtis, aged 23, has been jailed for six years after pleading guilty to possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of ammunition without a firearms certificate, producing a controlled Class B drug and two counts of possession of a controlled Class A drug with intent to supply. When arrested for carrying a gun and ammunition on a street in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, Curtis said to the officers, “You know people like you, I shoot them for fun.” Following sentencing, a police spokesperson said that there was no place for drugs and illegal firearms in Sheffield. He added, “We know that these offences are linked to organised and violent crime, which pose great threats to innocent members of our local communities. Rightfully, Curtis will be spending a number of years behind bars and another firearm has been taken off our streets.”

It has emerged that, in December 2023, a man was seen with what looked like a black handgun in Inverness, Scottish Highlands. The weapon was later found to be imitation. The man has since admitted the offence and will be sentenced following a background report.

Police officers arrested a man in Ashford, Kent as part of an ongoing investigation. He has since been charged with two counts of possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.