Lorry driver hid sawn-off shotgun
A SAWN off shotgun was brought in and out of the UK for 10 years by lorry driver Graham Peters, hidden among his clothes. And when he moved into a mobile home at Wilburton, he stowed the deadly weapon under his bed for four years, until it was discovered
A SAWN off shotgun was brought in and out of the UK for 10 years by lorry driver Graham Peters, hidden among his clothes.
And when he moved into a mobile home at Wilburton, he stowed the deadly weapon under his bed for four years, until it was discovered by police.
Peters was given the shotgun by a Spanish lorry driver, to protect himself from criminals working on the continent, Ely magistrates were told on Thursday.
Police were tipped off about the weapon by someone who had seen it in Peters' home, and the gun was discovered in working order.
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"It is not the Crown's case that Peters represented a danger to other people, but what would have happened if a child got hold of it?" said prosecutor Emma Dmitriev.
"This was a dangerous weapon, and you cannot hold a licence for a sawn off shot gun. The maximum penalty was recently increased from five to seven years.
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"It is not our case that he was involved in any criminal activity, but he has been extremely foolish to keep it."
Peters, 46, of Twentypence Road, Wilburton, admitted possessing the illegal weapon on March 17.
"A Spanish lorry driver offered him the gun because there had been occasions when he was accosted by people, he had been physically attacked once or twice by people wanting diesel," explained solicitor Michael Judkins. "He reluctantly accepted it."
He said Peters was given the gun 14 years ago, and kept it under the bed in his lorry cab, wrapped up in clothing.
"Despite being approached by people looking to rob him of diesel, at no time did he mention the fact that he had a gun," he added.
Four years ago Peters gave up lorry driving, and moved into a mobile home.
"He would not have the first idea how to use the gun," added Mr Judkins. "He has never had any ammunition, and has never loaded it with a cartridge." Peters had not known about previous gun amnesties, he added.
The court committed Peters for sentence to Cambridge Crown Court.
