Text trail led to stash of seven guns
A SERIES of incriminating messages led the police to an array of blank-firing guns that had been converted into deadly weapons.
Mark McNamara, 28, had been exchanging messages with his thengirlfriend about the firearms he had bought from Bury Airguns.
These were later recovered on his girlfriend’s phone following a search of his home in Oldham, wherein officers also found two guns, one of which had been converted to be able to fire liveammunition.
His messages also referred to another man, Corey Atkinson, 26, who had bought metal poles which were to be used to modify the guns.
Atkinson’s house, also in Oldham, was searched and officers found five further guns, ammunition and a cannabis farm.
Both men pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sell/transfer firearms and ammunition; and conspiracy to convert imitation firearms into prohibited weapons.
On Tuesday they were jailed for a combined total of 20 years at Minshull Street Crown Court.
Prosecuting, Adrian Farrow said that officers unearthed a box inside a black bin liner which had been buried in woodland off Edinburgh Close in Wigan, in September last year.
“The pistols were different models of Retay 9mm selfloading blank cartridge-firing handguns, which had each been modified by the replacement of the original (blocked) barrel with a metal barrel,” he said. DNA found on the weapons was later confirmed to be that of Atkinson.
Following a search of McNamara’s home, his girlfriend’s phone was recovered and analysed, and contained messages implicating his involvement in the wider conspiracy.
Messages showed McNamara’s involvement in purchasing the blankfiring weapons. One message to his girlfriend read: “Can u take me Bury 2tmoz bwt 12 1ish 2 Bury Airguns plz xx”.
When his partner asked what he wanted the guns for, he said: “Bob n his mate I get paid so and really could do with bit extra money as well xx.”
‘Bob’ was later established to be a nickname for Atkinson.
“The following day McNamara purchased six Retay blank-firing 9mm handguns from Bury Airguns,” Mr Farrow continued.
Further messages showed that McNamara was involved in testing the weapons at the Daisy Nook Country Park.
In one message, he said: “Just bin dwn Daisy Nuk tested 1 them love waiting 4 guys get bk us nw bwt csh.” Sentencing, Judge Tina Landale said: “These offences were detected through a thorough investigation which found professionally concealed guns and ammunition in a shallow grave in Wigan in September last year.
“Atkinson, I find you played a pivotal role in the conspiracy and were a key facilitator.
“McNamara, together with Atkinson, you tested them and transferred them.” Atkinson, of Farm Road, was jailed for 12 years, and McNamara, of Bankfield Drive, was jailed for eight years, both of which will have to serve two thirds of their sentence before their release.
The weapons and ammunition were ordered to be destroyed.
Just bin dwn Daisy Nuk tested 1 them love waiting 4 guys get bk us nw bwt csh. Message from McNamara to his girlfriend