A man who had a “fascination” with guns modified them to look like a “hard-man”, a court has heard.
Sean Aspinall appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday after being convicted after trial of one count of conspiring to convert an imitation firearm into a weapon, and conspiracy to supply or transfer prohibited weapons. Stella Hayden, prosecuting, detailed that Aspinall went online and bought blank firearms which he then passed onto Steven Shannon, who modified the weapons.
She said that Aspinall purchased the weapons off the internet, and assisted with their conversion, of which there were at least six. On May 19 last year, Merseyside Police raided a home in Huyton and found the firearms, and Aspinall has been remanded into custody since that date.
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During the trial, the 24-year-old said he had a fascination with guns, and had bought some for his own collection. He claimed he bought them to give to ground workers to scare away birds from a developing site that he shared with a friend.
Aspinall claimed the interest shown in converting guns was simply “bluster and bluff”, as his ego and self esteem had been shattered following a break up. He also made videos showing the guns.
When arrested, he was also found with knives and an amount of amphetamine, and pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon in a private place, and possession of a controlled Class B drug (amphetamine). He has no previous convictions.
Jonathan Duffy, defending, said his client played a lesser role in the enterprise, and he reiterated that this was an unusual case as there was no link to organised crime. He said at the time this was going on, Aspinall was only 21 and a very immature man.
Mr Duffy said: “For whatever reason, he had gone seriously off the rails. “His conduct during that period of time was out of character compared to the way that he had previously been in his life and the way he has always been to those that know him best.
“That period of his life was not typical of his upbringing or his life.” He described Aspinall’s role in the offending and his relationship with Mr Shannon as being based on asking for guidance and tuition on how to go about the process of conversion, rather than someone who had actually done it.
Mr Duffy added: “He was clearly the junior partner between those two. “There must have been some planning on his part, to buy the weapons and material needed to do it, but what was discovered from his house was limited.
“His mother spoke at trial about the way that he was at the time, and the significant immaturity and foolishness to behave in the way that he did.” He said there was no evidence of Aspinall ever receiving a financial reward, and detailed that the power of the firearms was low, roughly equivalent to that of an air weapon and with a low pound velocity.
In sentencing, Judge David Potter said: “During the trial we heard that you and others set about converting blank firing pistols into prohibited weapons which you then offered for sale or transfer. “You were the person who secured the weapons by buying blank pistols from the internet.”
He discussed that £1118 was spent on buying the blanks and cartridges, and detailed that Aspinall’s role included sanding off blue paint to make the weapons look more realistic and removing the orange logo from some of them. Judge Potter described Aspinall’s “fascination in the process”, and referred to text messages between him and Mr Shannon.
He added: “I am satisfied that you do not possess the skills or know-how to accurately carry out those conversions. “That job was left to Mr Shannon, who clearly did have those skills."
Judge Potter said he accepted that the weapon was “far less powerful” than a real firearm, but said it was agreed at trial that the weapon was capable of still discharging a shot that could be lethal. He added: “The final batch was sent to customers in late December 2021 or early January 2022, and text messages show there was positive feedback from at least six customers, and one unhappy one.
“You wanted to enhance your reputation by pretending to be a ‘hard-man’ and to be someone you are not. “Clearly there was a level of boastfulness, you made claims that weren’t true.
“You were an essential cog in the conspiracy, you gave encouragement along the way for those actually doing the conversions. “Six blanks were successfully converted, and all but one has disappeared.
“To whom and to where they have gone is not known, they are now at large. “As the events of the last month have shown, the use of prohibited firearm weapons on the streets brings devastation in our community.”
Aspinall was sentenced to nine years imprisonment.
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