A 24-year-old man has been handed a seven and a half year jail sentence for drugs and firearm offences.
James Parker was sentenced today at Liverpool Crown Court to seven-and-half years in prison.
At 9.15pm on Sunday 5th November this year officers were on uniformed mobile patrol in the Huyton area when they spotted a white Peugeot motor vehicle being driven along The Crescent at speed.
A short time later the same car was spotted by the officers parked outside a property on Eaves Court.
The officers spoke to a female who said the car belonged to James Parker who was inside the property. As officers waited for Parker to come outside one officer noticed a strong smell of cannabis.
A search was conducted of the property and a number of bags of cannabis were found. As the search continued a black handgun was discovered hidden in a wardrobe of the property. The gun and ammunition were forensically recovered.
Parker, pleaded guilty to possession of a section one firearm and possession with intent to supply Class A and Class B drugs.
Detective Constable Rebecca Hilton said: “This was a fantastic result which came about as a result of the extensive efforts of the patrol officers in locating the car which they spotted speeding and subsequently searching the property where the gun was recovered.
“This recovery means there is one less firearm and ammunition on our streets that could be used to cause fear, intimidation or harm. We would urge anyone with information about the storage and use of firearms to speak to us so we can continue to take positive action and make your streets safer.
“Tackling the issue of gun crime is a priority for the whole of the force and neighbourhood officers work alongside Matrix officers to remove the blight of guns from our communities.”
Anyone who has any information about where guns are being stored in our communities is asked to contact the MSOC gun crime hotline on 0800 230 0600 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.