The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Edinburgh gun buyer sentenced following police sting
● Man jailed for trying to buy a pistol and ammo over internet
Aman caught trying to buy a gun online from the US has been jailed for five years after being snared in a joint police operation.
David Mitchell spent more than £2,000 of cryptocurrency on a Glock 9mm gun with magazine, silencer and 150 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
A court heard he was driven by an “obsessive preoccupation” to explore whether the transaction was possible via the dark web.
The 48-year-old, from Damside in Edinburgh, admitted three firearms offences when he appeared at the city’s high court last month.
He returned to the court yesterday, when he was handed the term.
Passing sentence, judge Lord Pentland said: “It appears that you formed a plan to obtain these items by carrying out research on the dark web and then proceeding to order them for delivery to this country from the United States.
“It appears that your decision to acquire the gun and the other items arose from an obsessive preoccupation on your part with exploring whether it was possible to do so by making use of the dark web.
“You claim that you had no intention of causing harm to anyone but the fact remains that you went to considerable lengths to get hold of a potentially lethal weapon and ammunition.”
Defence QC John Scott said Mitchell had been described as a valued and dependable employee five-year jail and has no convictions.
He appeared at court in Scotland on September 21 while the incident was reported to US Homeland Security.
Mitchell was described by Detective Inspector Tom Gillan of Police Scotland as a meek, well-mannered individual who lived alone and had no partner or children.
Detective Chief Superintendent Gerry McLean said: “David Mitchell never offered any information that would have allowed us to better understand what his motivation was to securing a firearm.
“Our priorities are public safety and trying to understand what factors are, is it part of a wider network of individuals.
“That’s something Tom and the team continue to work on.” previous