Teen who found bullets failed to hand them in

HE KEPT AMMUNITION ‘OUT OF CURIOSITY’ AND AS SOUVENIR INSTEAD OF HANDING TO POLICE

A YOUNG man who found a stash of bullets ended up in the dock of a crown court after he failed to hand them in to the police.

Wesley Faver discovered the ammunition, including 1935 and Second World War issue rounds, in a plastic bag under a bridge.

Faver, who was 19 at the time, decided to keep them “out of curiosity”, but ended up in court after his find came to the attention of police.

He has now pleaded guilty to possessing 17 rounds, without a firearms certificate.

Sentencing at Leicester Crown Court, Recorder William Edis QC said: “You say you didn’t know whether the ammunition was live, decommissioned or dummy.

“We now know they were live and if matched to a suitable firearm they could have been used to kill.

“Instead of doing the obvious and right thing, the only thing to do – such as handing them in to the police – you kept them as a souvenir.

“In order to keep them out of the hands of siblings you showed a modest amount of thought by stashing them in a van – but that could have been broken into and have fallen into the wrong hands.”

Recorder Edis said: “I’m satisfied you don’t have connections to dispose of them.

“You didn’t have a gun, you didn’t intend to have a gun and I accept you kept it out of curiosity and didn’t know if the rounds were active or dummies.

“I’ve no doubt that guns are out of your league and you don’t have access to any organisations that could have put them to use. “You’re now 20 and in work. “The pre-sentence report describes you as having good features, but being somewhat immature. If nothing else I hope going through this process gives you another perspective on what is right or wrong.”

The recorder added: “I accept your motive wasn’t criminal, but it was a staggeringly irresponsible thing to do.”

Lauren Butts, prosecuting, said the police discovered the bullets after a tip-off and went to the defendant’s then home in Braunstone. The bullets were inside a sock behind the seat of a van.

“No firearm was seen or recovered,” said the prosecutor. There were four different types of ammunition including eight rounds from circa 1935, three of “Second

World War issue,” five .38 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) cartridges and an additional automatic pistol calibre round.

The court heard that Faver, now of Broughton Road, Saffron Lane, Leicester, regretted his actions.

His barrister, Tony Stanford, said in mitigation: “He chose to keep the ammunition as a souvenir and now recognises it was a foolish thing to do.

“He wasn’t going to do anything with them.

“He doesn’t have any access to guns or know anyone who does and isn’t involved in any sort of criminality like that.

“He says he would have ultimately put them in the bin.

“He’s genuinely remorseful. “He’s got a job and references speak well of him.”

Faver was sentenced to a 12-month community order, with a five-day rehabilitation activity requirement and was placed on a two-month curfew, between 8.30pm and 7.20am.

He was ordered to attend 19 sessions of an accredited probation service programme.

I accept your motive wasn’t criminal, but it was a staggeringly irresponsible thing to do

Recorder