Crime Desk
A man who ran a gun-conversion factory from his living room is among a gang of criminals sentenced to a total of 43 years for a string of firearms offences.
The six were arrested and charged following a proactive operation by the Metropolitan Police Service's anti-shootings command, Trident.
During a trial at Croydon Crown Court the jury heard how the operation began in May 2008 when Trident officers identified 30-year-old Gary Waller, of 41 Seymour Villas, South Norwood, as a gun supplier.
Further investigations revealed that Waller was running a cottage industry, converting imitation and blank-firing handguns in to lethal weapons using a basic but extremely effective conversion factory located in a cupboard in his living room.
During the operation officers recovered six firearms including a converted Magnum handgun loaded with three rounds of ammunition, a converted Glock & nine rounds of ammunition, a Steyr machine pistol loaded with five rounds of ammunition, two converted Brocock Olympic.38's and a Magnum in the process of conversion.
Waller was arrested in September 2008 along with the five other defendants. Together the six made up a network of runners, middlemen, purchasers and end-users.
They were:
* Marvin Welch, 29, of 12 Mirfield Court, Selby Road, SE20 who was used by Waller to store finished and partly finished firearms in his flat, located close to Waller's home;
* Wesley Huggins, 25, of 3 Henry House, Wyvil Road, SW8 and Adrian McNeish, 27, of 27A Grove Vale, SE22. Both acted as middlemen sourcing customers and using "runners" as couriers to deliver the converted weapons.
*Darren Yaw Opoku, 19 of 20 North Downs Crescent, New Addington, Surrey who acted as a courier, delivering weapons to Waller's "customers".
*Cadele Clarke, 25, of 1 Beauclerk House, Leigham Avenue SW16, a criminal who bought weapons from Waller.
Due to the overwhelming evidence against them, Waller, McNeish and Welch pleaded guilty to the charges outlined below.
Clarke, Opoku and Huggins opted to have trials and all three were convicted and sentenced on 29/03/10
The six defendants were all sentenced at Croydon Crown Court today.
During the trial of Clarke and Opoku the judge dismissed the indictment of "possession with intent to enable another to endanger life" on the grounds that there was no clear evidence of the defendants' intentions.
Prosecution counsel, Chris Coltart, successfully appealed this decision through the Court of Appeal.
Chris Coltart said: "This has proved to be an important case for Trident. The Court of Appeal has confirmed that mere possession of a firearm can suffice to infer an intent to enable another to endanger life. Whilst, of course, each case will turn on its own facts, this will generally mean that couriers of unlawful, lethal firearms will have a case to answer on charges carrying a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. It is hoped that this will act as a significant deterrent to those who might otherwise be tempted to get involved."
DC Carruth the case officer said: Hopefully these lengthy prison terms given to the six individuals today will act as a deterrent to others who choose to be involved in the conversion use and supply of firearms throughout London and the Home Counties. The success of this case and similar being undertaken by Trident's proactive teams continues to show the dedication and commitment of officers to target these dangerous individuals.
"The ruling by Lord Chief Justice Dyson will greatly assist not only Trident but other teams throughout the country to charge and successfully convict dangerous criminals in possession of firearms and ammunition of the substantive section 16 offence."
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