The gun cache on the Avenue
FOUR GUNS FOUND IN POLICE RAID ON HOUSE
BEHIND the respectable facade of a Newcastle home lurked a stash of deadly weapons.
Hidden away in Montagu Estate, Kenton, neighbours had no idea Clive Hutchinson had a cache of guns.
Examination of his computer devices showed he had carried out research on converting airguns to give them “lethal potential”.
And the 24-year-old had also downloaded some indecent images of children which were found on his iPhone and iPad.
Now Hutchinson, who was suffering a range of mental health problems at the time, for which he is now getting help, has been jailed for three years at Newcastle Crown Court.
Matthew Bean, prosecuting, said police initially executed a warrant at Hutchinson’s home in the search for drugs, on January 9 last year.
Mr Bean said: “The defendant was on the premises.
“A search took place lasting several hours. Leaving aside any drugs finds, what the police did find was a quantity of firearms, prohibited weapons and ammunition.
“Also, on an iPhone and iPad, indecent images of children were found.”
The court was told four guns were found, three of which were airguns modified into “potentially lethal” firearms, and one of which was a prohibited weapon, along with converted ammunition cartridges. The items seized were:
A gas alarm Ekol revolver (9mm calibre), which is manufactured to discharge CS gas and pepper spray
A Turkish firearm, gas alarm self-loading pistol, which had been modified so it could be used project missiles with “lethal potential”. Also manufactured for the purposes of discharging irritant gases
An Atak gas alarm self-loading pistol, which was the same as number two with modifications
A Zoraki Mod 914 gas alarm selfloading pistol, which had been modified to remove a partial obstruction from the barrel and was capable of being fired with “lethal potential”
Five blank 9mm cartridges, which had been modified to be used in weapon three.
Mr Bean said: “Emails were recovered that showed the defendant purchased the weapons on December 28, 2015, and downloads on the iPad showed a number of searches and pages viewed on the internet with a view to converting pistols and the legality of converting them.”
Hutchinson, of Coniscliffe Avenue, Montagu Estate, Kenton, pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited weapon, three counts of possessing a prohibited firearm and possessing ammunition without a certificate.
He was found guilty after a trial in June of possessing a small number of indecent images of a child and three counts of making indecent images.
Hutchinson, who has no previous convictions, was jailed for a total of three years and was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order and must sign the sex offenders’ register.
Geoff Knowles, mitigating, said Hutchinson was suffering from a number of mental health difficulties at the time of the offending, including post traumatic stress disorder, a personality disorder, dyslexia and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder.
The court heard he has been engaging well with the mental health services.