A Brixton man has been sentenced to four years’ jail after police found an “armoury” in his home in Branksome Road off Acre Lane.
Harry McGuire, 62, was sentenced on Friday (13 November) after being found guilty of conspiracy to sell or transfer firearms.
Police said he and four others sentenced at the same time had been supplying guns to south London gangs.
A trial at Croydon Crown Court heard that officers from the Metropolitan Police Trident and area crime commands found more than 2,000 homemade bullet casings and bullet heads, as well as a bullet press with associated bullet dies, moulds and reloading equipment, in a first floor room at McGuire’s home.
Gunpowder and live ammunition of various calibres were also seized.
With him in the dock were:
James Walsh, 40, of Wilkinson Gardens, Croydon, who had been found guilty of conspiracy to sell or transfer firearms on 22 October. He had also pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited Magnum revolver. He was sentenced to a total of nine years’ jail.
Maxwell Jarrett, 29, of Highfield Hill, Croydon, was found guilty of conspiracy to sell or transfer firearms and got two and a half years.
John Remi, 48, of Derwent Road, Bromley, was found guilty of encouraging or assisting in the selling or transfer of firearms and got 15 months.
Jason Flemming, 41, of Martell Road, West Norwood, was found guilty of encouraging or assisting in the selling or transfer of firearms and got two years.
The court was told Trident officers obtained evidence of meetings to discuss the supply of firearms that Walsh held with his co-defendants in a shed in his garden.
On 10 March, they simultaneously raided Walsh’s and McGuire’s addresses. A Magnum revolver was found at Walsh’s home.
Bomb disposal experts were called to McGuire’s Brixton home after the discovery of concealed inert grenades, mortars, railway detonator caps, industrial fireworks and flare explosive devices. Manuals on ammunition and bomb making were also seized.
Trident Detective Inspector Paul Dorey said five dangerous criminals, “intent on endangering people’s lives through the supply of firearms to south London gangs”, had been jailed after a long and complex investigation.
Temporary Detective Chief Superintendent Kevin Southworth said: “The weapons these men were supplying had the potential to wreak havoc. The streets of the capital are significantly safer with these men behind bars.”
Police said separate investigations had seen two men convicted and sentenced for possession of firearms linked to Walsh, McGuire and Jarrett.
Tyrone Thomas, 29, of Copleston Road, Southwark, was jailed for nine years at Croydon Crown Court on 20 August 2014 for three counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, possession of ammunition and possession of class A drugs with intent to supply.
Noel Bartley, 32, of Knollys Road, West Norwood, received eight years’ imprisonment at Southwark Crown Court on 25 September 2014 for possession of a loaded Colt .455 revolver and 24 rounds of ammunition.
