Rogue firearms dealer fails in bid to have 30-year sentence cut

A ROGUE firearms dealer from Gloucestershire who made ammunition used in three murders has failed in a bid to get his jail term cut.

Paul Roger Edmunds, of Bristol Road, Hardwicke, was locked up for 30 years at Birmingham Crown Court on December 21, 2017.

The 67-year-old was convicted of conspiracy to transfer prohibited weapons and ammunition, Mr Justice Sweeney told London’s Appeal Court yesterday.

He was also convicted of, or admitted, various other counts relating to prohibited weapons and perverting the course of justice.

Edmunds was a registered firearms dealer based at his home, said the appeal judge.

Between 2009 and 2015, he was the “linchpin” of a conspiracy to transfer prohibited weapons and ammunition.

He was at the “top of the chain” of the supply of hundreds of handguns and thousands of rounds of ammunition to criminal gangs in the UK.

Edmunds made ammunition himself and three murder victims were found to have been shot with ammo that he manufactured, said the judge.

David Nathan QC, for Edmunds, argued that there was “unfair disparity” between his 30-year jail term and the sentence a co-conspirator received.

Mohinder Surdhar, 59, of Handsworth, got 14 years on January 31 last year, after admitting his part in the plot. But Mr Justice Sweeney said “apparent leniency to one offender is no ground for reducing a proper sentence on another”.

Edmunds’ sentence reflected his other crimes as well, his culpability for the plot “was higher” and he had not admitted his part in it.

“There is no unjust or unexplained disparity of sentence between Edmunds, in his particular circumstances, and Surdhar, in his particular circumstances.

“It is not, in our view, arguable that his sentence should be reduced,” added the judge, who was sitting with two others.

“Accordingly, this renewed application is refused.”

Paul Edmunds