A DIY gunman has been jailed for five years after his improvised firearm was found hidden on Hampstead Heath.
Dominic Van Allen, 46, was convicted of possessing a disguised prohibited firearm and possessing a prohibited component part of a firearm.
It contained a hide concealing what appeared to be a pipe bomb.
A bullet was also discovered in the undergrowth.
Specialist explosives officers from the Metropolitan Police attended the scene to make it safe.
The ‘pipe bomb’, a smaller piece of pipe and a bullet were taken to a lab to be analysed.
It was later established the ‘pipe bomb’ was in fact an improvised gun with an inbuilt silencer, capable of firing bullets similar to that found in the undergrowth.
The smaller piece of pipe recovered from the scene was a component part that enabled the user to change the calibre of bullets which could be fired.
The bullet, which did not contain gun powder, was capable of being used in the gun if adapted with the explosive substance.
Detectives from the Met Police Counter Terrorism Command launched an investigation, retrieving evidence including a jiffy bag with Van Allen’s name found discarded in woods near the hides.
On February 19, this year they traced and arrested Van Allen on suspicion of firearms offences.
Meanwhile, forensic specialists carrying out analysis of the improvised firearm, found DNA on it that was a match for Van Allen’s, and he was subsequently charged.
Acting Detective Chief Superintendent James Harman, of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said: “The hides in Hampstead Heath were discovered by diligent parks officers on routine patrol.
“It’s not known what Van Allen’s motives for having the gun were. If not discovered by police, it could have been used in crime and seriously injured or potentially killed someone.
“His sentence is a reminder to anyone with a gun - improvised or otherwise - that there are severe consequences for having it.
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