Boy with shotgun ‘is victim of exploitation’

A TEENAGER who had a sawn-off shotgun in his house had been involved with ‘serious criminals,’ a court heard.

The 17-year-old boy, who can’t be named for legal reasons, had the deadly weapon in the cupboard under the stairs of his home in Salford.

He had been pressurised to store the weapon for more sophisticated criminals, a court was told.

Police found three separate component parts of the weapon in a duffle bag.

Manchester Crown Court heard that the boy had been ‘exploited’ by more serious criminals.

Police arrived at his home in March, but officers found no-one there.

But shortly after they arrived, the teenager turned up at the property.

Initially he claimed he didn’t have access to the home, and told the officer he couldn’t remember his mother’s telephone number to ask her.

But the officers searched him and found the keys to the property.

The subsequent search uncovered the weapon, said to have been manufactured in Spain.

The boy, who has no previous convictions, appeared in court on Friday for sentence.

He previously pleaded guilty to an offence of possessing a prohibited firearm.

Judge Alan Conrad QC told the boy: “It is apparent to me that you have been involved with some serious criminals.”

But the judge added that there was a ‘clear indication’ that the boy had been ‘exploited.’

“There is clear and undisputed evidence here that you have been the victim of exploitation by others.”

Under firearms legislation, adult offenders who are convicted of the offence can face a minimum sentence of five years prison, while juveniles can receive a minimum jail term of three years.

But this sentence can be avoided if there are deemed to be ‘exceptional circumstances’ in the case.

Judge Conrad ruled that there were such circumstances in this case, instead sentencing the boy to a youth rehabilitation order.

“You were only 16 at the time when you were put under pressure to store the components of this illegal firearm.

“There are other matters that I have been told about in your background which reinforce my finding.”