A group of men who arranged to meet to hand over guns and ammunition almost had their plan foiled when a litter picker found a bag with a firearm inside it.
The woman was picking litter on March 9 this year close to some garages near Clayton Court in Leeds when she came across a bag which had a modified firearm and ammunition inside. Prosecutor Michael Smith told Leeds Crown Court on Monday that the barrel of the firearm had been replaced with a smooth one.
The court heard the firearm was deemed by police to be functional. Unbeknownst to officers at the time, Clayton Court was the home of Callum Scott, 22, of Spen Walk, who would later be arrested, charged and jailed for firearms offences.
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Mr Smith said that just over a month later on April 28, Scott arranged to meet with his co-defendants Cameron Hanson, 21, of Lawrence Crescent, Clayton Johnson, 23, of Stonegate Chase, and Alexander Fothergill, 21, of Newton Park Grove.
He said: "At 11.40am Fothergill called Johnson and later sent a message to Johnson that said 'He will see you straight away.' Fothergill got in touch with Hanson and provided Johnson with the details of when Hanson would be arriving at the property. We don't know how Scott got that message of when to turn up, but he did."
Shortly after Johnson was seen in Queenshill Gardens, and Scott was seen at Clayton Court before getting a taxi to the same location. Mr Smith said Scott was "retrieving guns stored near his house and taking them with him." Hanson arrived at Queenshill Gardens at around 2pm in a BMW with other people inside. He was seen leaving the driver's seat with a black and white rucksack.
Mr Smith told the court: "Scott arrived five minutes after him and entered the property. The Crown can prove all were in the flat with Hanson leaving after, about 15 minutes later, with the same rucksack." The car he had travelled in was stopped by police just after 3pm.
Two modified handguns were discovered in the bag along with ammunition. The court was told the firearms were similar to what was found in March. The handguns were found to be functional but not compatible with the ammunition.
Hanson made no comment in his interview and Mr Smith said Scott and Johnson were soon arrested when officers attended the address in Queenshill Gardens.
He said: "Police found £800 in notes right next to Callum Scott's bag and him. We say the £800 was used to buy the gun as Hanson's fingerprints were found on the notes." Scott and Johnson both denied any offending in their police interviews. Fothergill was not arrested until June but was caught out following phone analysis. He also answered no comment in interview.
Mr Smith said: "Johnson, Scott and Fothergill were part of an enterprise to supply firearms to Hanson and his group. Scott had previously been in possession of similar firearm and ammunition which was not sold because it was recovered before they could be dealt with. He was trusted to sort the firearms and sell them and was trusted to return the money to others who would have received the benefit for his actions."
As well as the firearms offences, Hanson also fell to be sentenced for a number of drug offences after the black Seat Ibiza he was driving on Morland Road in Leeds was stopped on April 24, 2020. £3,000 was found under the passenger seat of the car and he told officers the money belonged to his mother. Mr Smith told the court: "He was put into the back of a police vehicle while checks were made and he had access to his phone."
Hanson was captured on camera calling his mother and asking her to lie for him - which she refused to do. This aggravated Hanson and his phone was taken by police. Hanson spat at police and had to be arrested while wearing a spit guard. Mr Smith added: "This was when the pandemic was at its height and the officers were concerned about that, especially when the defendant said he hoped they got Covid too." During his interview, Hanson apologised for spitting but continued to insist the money belonged to his mother.
The court was told Johnson also fell to be sentenced for separate drugs matters, due to offences that took place in 2020. Police stopped the car he was driving with a co-defendant who has been sentenced in York, in Ripon on October 28, 2020. Mr Smith told the court a bag of blue tablets were found on the passenger. £500 in cash and two mobiles phones, one linked to Johnson, were also found. 58 to 59 tablets of MDMA, heroin worth £100 and cocaine worth around £30 to £50 was found on the passenger. Johnson's DNA was found on a package of cocaine recovered from the passenger, and when his address was searched police recovered scales with cocaine residue on them.
Mr Smith said when the mobile phone linked to Johnson was activated texts between users and himself - including offers to supply class A drugs in the form of group texts were found. The prosecutor added: "It is the Crown's case he was involved in supplying drugs in the North Yorkshire area." Johnson already had 23 previous convictions for 20 offences including common assault and battery.
Matthew Harding, representing Scott, told the court a pre-sentence report had been carried out and a number of character references had been put forward. He said: "He knows the impact his offending will have, not just on him but others." He told the court that since being remanded into custody, Scott had undertaken 10 courses before he was transferred to HMP Hull. Mr Harding said: "He is a capable young man."
Katherine Robinson, for Hanson, said: "He was 20 at the time of the offences. He was living with his mum and girlfriend, who still support him. His plans are to finish the course he started at college and he has been completing the course in custody. It is most unfortunate that someone with support and his potential has ended up in this situation because of an addiction to cannabis."
For Johnson, Matthew Stewart, said he would have been 21 at the time he committed the drug offences and was the "facilitator" in relation to the firearms crimes. Mr Stewart said: "He grew up with his mum and three sisters and has had contact with his dad since his late teens. The issues with his dad perhaps made him more susceptible to gang culture. He has a daughter who is three." The court heard Johnson has a job in custody and has also undertaken English and Art courses.
Cara Frith, for Fothergill said: "He wants a better life for him and his family. He accepts he was the facilitator but he had no knowledge beyond that. He admits he was focused on ingratiating himself in groups but accepts there was a financial motivation and did expect some payment for his role but that was never confirmed." Ms Frith told the court Fothergill was remorseful."
Hanson was jailed for eight years and four months for possessing criminal property, common assault, criminal damage, conspiracy to supply prohibited weapons, conspiracy to possess firearms, conspiracy to possess ammunition, possessing criminal property and conspiracy to supply cannabis.
Johnson was jailed for eight years and three months for conspiracy to supply prohibited weapons, conspiracy to possess firearms, conspiracy to possess ammunition, possessing criminal property and conspiracy to supply cannabis, possessing MDMA with intent to supply, possessing diamorphine with intent to supply, possessing cocaine with intent to supply and offering to supply heroin and cocaine.
Scott was jailed for six years for conspiracy to supply prohibited weapons, conspiracy to possess firearms, conspiracy to possess ammunition, possessing criminal property and conspiracy to supply cannabis..
Forthergill was jailed for four years and six months for conspiracy to supply prohibited weapons, conspiracy to possess firearms, conspiracy to possess ammunition.
Detective Chief Inspector Jonathan Key from West Yorkshire Police Programme Precision, said:“I am very pleased with the sentences that have been handed to these four individuals today. As part of this investigation, we were able to take two guns out of the hands of criminals and off the streets of Leeds, making it a safer place for everyone. Offences involving firearms will never be tolerated within West Yorkshire, our Programme Precision Team treat all cases of this kind extremely seriously and will work to bring all offenders to justice.”
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