Man jailed after police swooprevealsgunfind
A MAN who tried to steer offenders away from crime is behind bars himself after being caught with a deadly submachine gun.
Steven Wilkinson was snared in August this year after police swooped in on a car in Glasgow’s Springburn.
Officers discovered the Skorpion gun, ammunition and a silencer in the Seat Leon motor.
Wilkinson returned to the High Court in Glasgow yesterday after he pleaded guilty to a string of firearms charges.
His advocate, Tony Lenehan, said the 43 year-old had – as recently as 2015 – been involved in a rehabilitation organisation for offenders.
Mr Lenehan added: “He was engaged in the running of a men’s group providing a positive influence outlining the mistakes he had made in his life.”
Judge Lady Rae remarked: “Rather odd...here we are facing very serious charges in the High Court.
“What kind of influence is that to the people he was trying to assist?”
She went on to jail Wilkinson, of the city’s Scotstoun, for six years.
The judge told him: “The weapon had the capability of repeatedly firing with one pressure of the trigger.
“Such a weapon in this day and age is only suitable for one purpose and one purpose only – to kill a human being.
“There is no evidence you were to carry out any assassination.
“It has been submitted you were simply taking the item from one place to another. But, you knew fine well what you were carrying.”
Wilkinson gave a thumbs up to supporters in the public gallery as he was led to the cells.
The court earlier heard how po- lice had got a tip-off about the Seat car and it was traced to the city’s Springburn. It was there officers spoke to Wilkinson who appeared “agitated”.
Asked was there anything on him or in the vehicle that could injure, he replied: “There’s a gun in the front passenger seat.”
A bag was thereafter found in the car which contained the Czechmade weapon, ammo and the silencer.
The court was told Wilkinson was caught by police having earlier been asked and agreeing to move the dangerous items to a different address.