A Scottish antique gun collector has been caught importing an imitation handgun into the country. Nicoll Graham, 41, bought the weapon from a dealer in Italy and had the item posted to his home in Edinburgh last year.
Border Force officers spotted the package before it made its way to Graham’s flat in the Canonmills area of the capital and called in the police. Officers then raided the military enthusiast’s home and discovered a child alone within the property alongside a large array of weapons which were said to have been “strewn through the house”.
Prosecutor Susan Dickson told Edinburgh Sheriff Court Friday a Border Force officer became aware of a package imported from Italy that was addressed to Graham on February 25 last year. Ms Dickson said: “[The officer] opened the box and observed the barrel of a gun. Firearms officers attended and it was confirmed it was a realistic imitation firearm.
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“Police were contacted and a warrant was granted to search [Graham’s home].” The fiscal depute said police attended at Graham’s home at around 1.30pm on April 7 last year and found him outside his property with his dog.
The officers identified themselves and were granted entry to the flat where they found a 10-year-old child inside on their own. Ms Dickson added: “Mr Graham was asked if he had anything that would harm him or was concerning and they were told there were two handguns and two rifles within his bedroom.
“He was able to produce the deactivation certificates for these items.” The court was told during a search of the home officers discovered “a large number of replica and deactivated firearms” along with “a crossbow, a number bolts and large knives”.
All the weapons found in the home were said to have been “on open display” and there had been “no effort to hide” the items. Ms Dickson said numerous weapons owned by Graham were “strewn through the house” and firearms officers were contacted who subsequently found “the firearms had been made safe”.
The court also heard “a very large number of knives” were also found within the property. Ms Dickson added: “The bedroom the child occupied was relatively tidy but there was issue with the rest of the flat.”
Lawyer Calum Turner said his client “collects antique militaria and replica firearms” but he would reserve his full mitigation to the sentencing hearing. Sheriff Donald Corke acknowledged there had been “a prestigious number of knives” found at Graham’s home and deferred sentence to next month for reports.
The sheriff added: “Obviously where your hobby impinges on the relative safety of a child then the court has to take action.” Graham pleaded guilty to bringing a realistic imitation firearm, namely an imitation handgun, into Great Britain on February 25 last year.
He also admitted to wilfully exposing a child to unnecessary suffering or injury to health and did leave them alone with exposure to numerous knives, imitation firearms, ammunition and crossbows at his home on April 7 last year.
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