Double Killer Jailed After 100mph Police Chase Death Crash

Killer On The Road: Karl Maddix

An unlicenced and uninsured L-driver, who crashed into a bridge during a police chase, killing his two passengers, has been locked-up for ten years.

Ex-jailbird Karl Maddix, 31, (pictured) was still on parole from his last sentence when he sped away from police – jumping three red lights – during the late-night 100mph pursuit.

Islington men Shaka Kirnon-Henry, 33, and Gregory Jones, 38, perished after the Audi A3 clipped a van and crashed near the junction of Seven Sisters Road and St. Ann's Road, South Tottenham
at 2am on March 29, last year.

He pleaded guilty at Wood Green Crown Court to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and was also disqualified from driving for twelve years.

The court heard that Islington officers, on a routine patrol in a marked police vehicle, became suspicious of an Audi A3.

The vehicle appeared to make off at speed when they passed it going in the opposite direction – prompting the pursuit, which ended tragically.

Officers gave CPR prior to the arrival of ambulances, but both injured men were pronounced dead at the scene. 



Post-mortems at Haringey Mortuary gave the cause of death for Mr. Kirnon-Henry as multiple head and chest trauma and for Mr. Jones multiple chest trauma. 



The driver of the white van was taken to hospital suffering minor injuries. 



Maddix did not have permission to drive the car, holding only an expired provisional driving licence, had no insurance, was on licence from prison and had previously been banned from driving.

He was in possession of class A drugs and there was stolen property in the vehicle.

Maddix drove the Audi at high speeds in areas where there were pedestrians and other vehicles on the road.

He went through a speed camera at 57 mph on a 30 mph road, having braked heavily beforehand.



Officers estimated that prior to the collision, the Audi was being driven by Maddix at over 100 mph.



Detective Sergeant Cheryl Frost from the MPS Road Death Investigation Unit said:
"Maddix had no licence, he was uninsured and did not have permission to drive the car.

“He drove dangerously at extremely high speeds in urban areas endangering other road users.

“Ultimately his reckless actions caused the death of two young men." 

Airplane Drunk's Whiskey & Vodka Race Rant

An airplane drunk, who racially abused fellow-pasengers on a long-haul flight after a heavy-drinking session in the airport, received a suspended prison sentence yesterday.

Michael Trevor Harding, 53, of Moreteyne Road, Marston Moretaine, Bedford drank heavily at the bar before leaving Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, Kenya and consumed almost two one litre bottles of vodka and whiskey he bought in duty free.

He pleaded guilty to being drunk on board the Kenya Airways Boeing 777 as it travelled to Heathrow Airport on December 14, last year and was sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended two years, fined £1,000 with £200 costs and ordered to complete 200 hours community service work.

Isleworth Crown Court heard Harding spent two weeks in Africa, meeting a lady he befriended on the internet, but was obviously already drunk when he boarded the aircraft and was moved twice due to his disruptive behaviour before take-off.

Security staff had to speak to him and when escorted to a third seat he fell into a woman sitting next to the window and she soon asked to be moved elsewhere.

Prosecutor Mr. Orlando Gibbons told the court Harding began abusing a black woman sitting in front of him when she reclined her seat.

He shouted: “You black b*******, go home. You've only come to get free money, you've ruined this country.”

Harding repeatedly pounded the seat, demanding the woman put it upright, but she replied: “I have paid for this seat. I want to relax and sleep.”

A UK national returning home, who was sitting across the isle, urged the defendant to calm down, but Harding called him a: “F***ing northerner.”

The defendant then turned his attention to the passenger sitting next to him, saying: “Go back to your own country, you black b*******. Go home to your own country.

“Don't touch me. You smell. You have illnesses and you are dirty.”

Another passenger of Asian appearance stood up and Harding shouted: “Go home Pakistanis. Muslims are bad and you only come to destroy my country.”

He was arrested after the plane landed and admitted having a drink problem, regularly consuming over twn cans of lager a day.

Harding claimed he was a nervous flyer and had run out of all of his regular medication during the holiday and took sleeping pills before boarding the plane.

He did not recall the flight or abusing any passengers, insisting he was not a racist and had a black girlfriend and black work colleagues.

Harding apologised for his behaviour, agreeing alcohol was to blame.

Not Guilty: Swim Coach Cleared Of Decades-Old Sex Abuse Of Teen

Smith: Cleared In Minutes

The former award-winning national director of the Scottish Amateur Swimming Association was cleared today of repeatedly sexually abusing an infatuated 14 year-old girl four decades ago.

Hugh Hamilton Smith, 76, of Southbank Court, Easter Park Drive, Cramond, Edinburgh showed no emotion behind the glass-panelled secure dock as the jury announced their unanimous decision after just twenty-five minutes of deliberation, although his 71 year-old wife burst into tears.

He was found not guilty of five counts of indecently assaulting the teenager between August 1, 1973 and May 31, 1975 while the head coach of Beckenham Ladies Swimming Club in south-east London.

Two counts of indecent assault were dropped halfway through the trial.

Judge Peter Gower QC even extended his thanks to the defendant for his conduct during the week-long Croydon Crown Court trial, announcing: "This must have been a particularly painful ordeal."

Smith, - known as 'Hammie' - who was an assistant coach on the Great Britain 1964 Olympic team and went on to coach ten Olympians and thirty internationals described the complaint as "fantasy."

He told the court he was "shocked" at being arrested, swabbed, finger printed, photographed and questioned by police, adding: "If you don't think that's a stressful situation for a seventy-six year-old to be in then I don't know what is."

Smith struggled to find a reason for the allegations and told police that perhaps the loss of the complainant's father a few months before she claimed the abuse began was a trigger.

As a coach and authority figure maybe there was a transfer of affections and when her teenage crush was not reciprocated her feeling "festered" for many years before emerging.

The complainant, now aged 55 years-old,  said she was a keen competitive swimmer and trained daily at the now-demolished Beckenham Grove Baths and at the National Sports Centre, Crystal Palace, south-east London under the tutelage of Smith.

However, when questioned at Bromley Police Station on January 28, last year by the borough's Child Abuse Investigation Team the Paisley-native said: "I can't understand why anyone would make these allegations."

The complainant says Smith, who was denied a place on Scotland's 1958 Commonwealth Games swim team after breaking his leg skiing, progressed to groping her in his white Volvo car then engaging in oral sex with her at his home when his wife and two young sons were not around.

He consistently denied the allegations, telling police: "I've never been involved in a sexual context with any young girl or boy in my swimming career.

"She could be disturbed, it's the only logical explanation. I am utterly appalled by these allegations coming at this time."

The complainant told the court during a video interview: "I was so naive, I was in love with him and I thought he was in love with me. I wanted to do what he wanted, I wanted to please him I suppose.

"He was an attractive man, quite charming, with a twinkle in his eye and a nice smile. He was fun.

"He was quite tanned, he had been an international swimmer, I think, and was quite fit and looked strong."

Smith taught PE in Paisley and coached the school's swimmers after graduating and went onto teach in Canada and was invited to become England's first national swimming coach with the English Swimming Association.

He also lectured physical education at what is now the University of Edinburgh, was Scotland's swimming director for ten years and won GB's 'Coach of the Year' in 1975 and in 2002 received a lifetime achievement award from the British Swimming Coaches Association.

Iguana Couriers Jailed For Smuggling 'Critically Endangered' Species

Top: Bita & Bottom: Bucsa

Two "highly-intelligent, well-travelled young women" caught smuggling thirteen critically-endangered iguanas, with a potential black market value of £260,000, were each jailed for twelve months today.

The Romanian degree students were caught at Heathrow Airport after stepping off a BA fight from the Bahamas with the San Salvador Iguanas, one of which had died, stuffed inside socks and wrapped in a blue towel in their suitcase. 

Mechanical engineering student Angela-Alina Bita, 26, (pic.top) who was working as an au pair in Switzerland and finance student Victoria Olivia Bucsa, 24, (pic.bottom) both pleaded guilty to the unlawful importation of the animals on February 3 at Terminal Five.

They were caught after their nine-day trip, which had been financed by a wealthy Swiss gentleman identified only as 'Thomas', before they could catch their onward flight to Dusseldorf, Germany, where the animals were to be collected.

The animals are unique to the Bahamas, where laws have been passed to prevent their export and it is believed the species now only amounts to a few hundred.

Prosecutor Miss Pamela Reiss told Isleworth Crown Court the women arrived in the early hours from Nassau, claiming they had spent an innocent holiday in the Caribbean, which they had financed themselves.

All their clothes had been stuffed into one suitcase and Border Agency officers checked the second one they had.

"In the other suitcase the thirteen Iguanas, one of which was dead, were found. Each had been wrapped inside a sock and then wrapped in a blue towel.

Iguanas: Stuffed In Socks

"They had been in the hold in the suitcase during the eight-hour flight.

"They come from a hot country and were in the cold hold all that time and must have suffered.

"Brita said she did not know what they were and was given them by a man called 'Robert' in a beach bar and was not paid."

It is unknown what the final destination was for the reptiles, but Miss Reiss added: "They are valued at ten thousand pounds each and that's a minimum, they could be sold illegally for up to twenty thousand pounds each."

It is difficult to place an accurate figure on the value because the trade is cloaked in secrecy, but the prosecutor added: "Maybe wealthy people keep them as status symbols because they are endangered."

Bita told a tissue of lies when quizzed and Bucsa said nothing, but now both women claim 'Thomas' financed the whole trip and arranged for them to carry the Iguanas.

Their lawyer Miss Brinder Soora said: "They recognise the particularly devastating effect their actions have had and it is fortunate only one Iguana passed away.

"These two defendants were naive in their actions and they did not know the iguanas were of such value and rarity."

Judge Phillip Matthews told the first-time offenders, who have been locked-up in HMP Holloway since their arrest: "You are two highly-intelligent, well travelled young women who chose to act in the way you did free of pressure.

Iguanas: Seized Suitcase

"There is a market for such creatures and for as long as people such as yourselves perpetrate the facility for them to be smuggled out of the Bahamas that trade will continue."

Grant Miller from the Border Force's endangered species team said: "This particular species of iguana in incredibly rare - only a few hundred are believed to be left in existence - so this was remarkable and very important seizure.

"Given the circumstances we found them  in it seems incredible that all but one survived such a long flight."

The animals were dehydrated and placed into the care of a specialist vet where they remain.

Top Swim Coach Accused Of Molesting 14 Year-Old Says: "This Is Like A Fantasy World"

Smith: "Fantasy"

The former award-winning national director of the Scottish Amateur Swimming Association, accused of repeatedly sexually abusing an infatuated 14 year-old girl four decades ago, told police: "This is like a fantasy world," a jury heard today.

Hugh Hamilton Smith, 76, of Southbank Court, Easter Park Drive, Cramond, Edinburgh first french-kissed the girl when they were alone in a ladies changing room before embarking an a year-long campaign of sexual activity, Croydon Crown Court was told. 

He has pleaded not guilty to five counts of indecently assaulting the teenager between August 1, 1973 and May 31, 1975 while the head coach of Beckenham Ladies Swimming Club in south-east London.

Two counts of indecent assault were dropped halfway through the trial.

Smith, - known as 'Hammie' - who was an assistant coach on the Great Britain 1964 Olympic team and went on to coach ten Olympians and thirty internationals told officers: "I have never gone into the ladies changing room in forty to fifty years of coaching."

The complainant, now aged 55 years-old,  said she was a keen competitive swimmer and trained daily at the now-demolished Beckenham Grove Baths and at the National Sports Centre, Crystal Palace, south-east London under the tutelage of Smith.

However, when questioned at Bromley Police Station on January 28, last year by the borough's Child Abuse Investigation Team the Paisley-native said: "I had very little to do with her coaching.

"I can't understand why anyone would make these allegations."

The complainant says Smith, who was denied a place on Scotland's 1958 Commonwealth Games swim team after breaking his leg skiing, progressed to groping her in his white Volvo car then engaging in oral sex with her at his home when his wife and two young sons were not around.

"I did not even know what oral sex was in 1973 and 1974," he told the officers. "This has come as a great shock to me, to my system.

"I've never been involved in a sexual context with any young girl or boy in my swimming career.

"She could be disturbed, it's the only logical explanation. I am utterly appalled by these allegations coming at this time."

Smith struggled to identify any motive for the complaint, suggesting: "It could only be done for some sort of revenge or doing it in the light of this Jimmy Savile thing, thinking I was some sort of predator or seeking compensation or attention."

The complainant told the court during a video interview: "I was so naive, I was in love with him and I thought he was in love with me. I wanted to do what he wanted, I wanted to please him I suppose.

"He was an attractive man, quite charming, with a twinkle in his eye and a nice smile. He was fun.

"He was quite tanned, he had been an international swimmer, I think, and was quite fit and looked strong."

Prosecutor Mr. Mark Halsey told the jury the abuse began a few months after the death of the girl's father with comments about her being "well developed" and "top heavy" after a false start in a relay race.

The girl was a regular baby-sitter for Smith, who during the year-long abuse told her: "Don't tell anyone about this." 

"He came into my cubicle and he kissed me," she said. "I had a bit of a crush on him, I suppose.

"I looked up to him. I was a bit in love with him in a teenage way."

She said Smith regularly gave her lifts in his white Volvo and would listen to Radio Two.

Smith: "Not Guilty"

"I remember him singing along and looking at me and smiling," she explained, recalling one particular incident.

"He touched my breasts and then he would get me to put my hand on his penis," adding that Smith also fondled her between her legs and asked: "Was that better than when you do it yourself?"

There was a similar incident in Smith's kitchen, where the girl would have breakfast after early-morning training, the jury heard.

"I was wearing my school uniform and he put his hand up my skirt. Once he pressed so hard he lifted me off the ground."

The defendant took her to his bedroom, when his wife was away, and oral sex took place it is claimed. "I remember feeling that I did not want to be doing this."

Smith organised a weekend's training at the National Sports Centre and tried to get into the girl's room, she recalled.

"He was banging on the door and seemed quite cross. The door was locked."

She says the Jimmy Savile scandal prompted her to come forward after believing the events were too long ago and nobody would be interested in her complaint.

"People were coming forward daily with details of thirty, forty years ago. It was not too late, I would be listened to, the climate had changed.

"If I didn't say anything it's as if it didn't happen. It might have happened to other people and I might help other people."

Smith holds a degree in physical education and after teaching in Canada was invited to become England's first national swimming coach with the English Swimming Association.

He also lectured physical education at what is now the University of Edinburgh, was Scotland's swimming director for ten years and won GB's 'Coach of the Year' in 1975 and in 2002 received a lifetime achievement award from the British Swimming Coaches Association.

Trial continues........... 

Alleged Paedo Used Crisps And Chocolate To Abduct Kids Court Told

An internet child porn pervert used treats such as crisps and chocolate to abduct five young boys - aged between four and ten years-old – abusing two of them in a concrete maintenance room near his flat, a court heard yesterday.

Martyn Thomas Littell, 40, got the children to strip naked while he watched at the flat in Grombridge Court, Hogarth Crescent, Croydon then subjected two boys, aged 8 and 10, to sexual assaults in nearby Ringstead Court.

Littell, of Langley Way, West Wickham has pleaded not guilty at Croydon Crown Court to two counts of child abduction on or before October 12, 2012, plus two counts of sexually assaulting each boy and one count of sexual activity with a child in relation to the eight year-old.

He also denies nine counts of making indecent videos of children from material he downloaded from the internet and one count of possessing indecent still images of children.

The prosecutor told the jury: “This case concerns the grooming and serious sexual assault of young boys and the making of indecent movies and possessing indecent photos of children.

“All five attended his flat uninvited and this was the start of the grooming of the children by Mr. Littell for his sexual gratification.

“He did not have the authority to have these five boys within his flat and he did not have their parents' consent.

“He induced them to remain by offering crisps and chocolate if they accompanied him to another room, where he asked them to strip naked while he watched.

“The prosecution say Mr. Littell asked two of the boys to go to a maintenance room under a block of flats, where there are concrete rooms, and in that room he touched each boy.”

The jury heard the boys were groped intimately and the defendant performed a sex act on the younger one.

Trial continues...........

Woman Claims Top Swimming Coach Molested Her As A 14 Year-Old

Smith: Denies Claims

A woman, who was sexually abused by the Scottish swimming coach she had a crush on as an under-age teen, was inspired by victims of Jimmy Savile to report him four decades later, a court heard today.

Hugh Hamilton Smith, 76, of Southbank Court, Easter Park Drive, Cramond, Edinburgh first approached the 14 year-old in a changing room cubicle then abused her in his car and at his home, the jury were told.

He has pleaded not guilty at Croydon Crown Court to seven counts of indecently assaulting the teenager between August 1, 1973 and May 31, 1975 while the head coach of Beckenham Ladies Swimming Club.

The complainant, now aged 55 years-old, was a keen competitive swimmer and trained daily at the now-demolished Beckenham Grove Baths and at the National Sports Centre, Crystal Palace, south-east London under the tutelage of Smith

"I was so naive, I was in love with him and I thought he was in love with me," she told the court in a video interview. "I wanted to do what he wanted, I wanted to please him I suppose.

"He was an attractive man, quite charming, with a twinkle in his eye and a nice smile. He was fun.

"He was quite tanned, he had been an international swimmer, I think, and was quite fit and looked strong."

Prosecutor Mr. Mark Halsey told the jury the abuse began a few months after the death of the girl's father with comments about her being "well developed" and "top heavy" after a false start in a relay race.

The woman claims she was a regular baby-sitter for Smith, who during the year-long abuse told her: "Don't tell anyone about this." 

At the time Smith - known as 'Hammie' - was married with two young sons, but this didn't stop him walking into the ladies changing room when the girl was in there, the court heard.

"He came into my cubicle and he kissed me," she said. "I had a bit of a crush on him, I suppose.

"I looked up to him. I was a bit in love with him in a teenage way."

She said Smith regularly gave her lifts in his white Volvo and would listen to Radio Two.

"I remember him singing along and looking at me and smiling," she explained, recalling one particular incident.

"He touched my breasts and then he would get me to put my hand on his penis," adding that Smith also fondled her between her legs and asked: "Was that better than when you do it yourself?"

There was a similar incident in Smith's kitchen, where the girl would have breakfast after early-morning training, the jury heard.

"I was wearing my school uniform and he put his hand up my skirt. Once he pressed so hard he lifted me off the ground."

The defendant took her to his bedroom, when his wife was away, and oral sex took place it is claimed. "I remember feeling that I did not want to be doing this."

Smith organised a weekend's training at the National Sports Centre and tried to get into the girl's room, she recalled.

"He was banging on the door and seemed quite cross. The door was locked."

She says the Jimmy Savile scandal prompted her to come forward after believing the events were too long ago and nobody would be interested in her complaint.

"People were coming forward daily with details of thirty, forty years ago. It was not too late, I would be listened to, the climate had changed.

"If I didn't say anything it's as if it didn't happen. It might have happened to other people and I might help other people."

Mr. Halsy said Smith was arrested and quizzed by police. "He said she may have had breakfast with him after training, but denied doing anything inappropriate.

"He said he had never had sexual relations with a girl under sixteen years-old."

Trial continues...........  

Jail For Lager And Vodka-Fueled Airplane Drunk

An airplane drunk, who had to be restrained with flexicuffs by five cabin crew after washing down prescribed mood-stabilisers with lager and vodka on a long-haul flight, has been jailed for thirteen months yesterday.

Jobless Martin Pitchers, 40, forced the Dubai-bound Qantas plane to turn around over Germany and return to Heathrow Airport when an argument with another passenger over a bag escalated into a foul-mouthed confrontation with staff.

The former full-time carer of The Green, Upton, Norwich smashed a cup holder while shouting and swearing then wielded a piece of the broken wooden shard until he was eventually forcibly sedated.

He pleaded guilty to boarding the Airbus A380, while drunk, on December 9, last year, being drunk on the aircraft and causing criminal damage.

Isleworth Crown Court heard Pitchers was travelling to New Zealand to visit his brother and boarded the first leg of the flight with a one litre bottle of vodka he had consumed approximately a quarter of.

“It was noted that the defendant was drunk and he had to be asked to keep his seat-belt on and said he was suffering depression and his medication was in the hold, but seemed co-operative and apologetic,” said prosecutor Miss Zoe Jacob.

The remaining vodka was poured away, but trouble started twenty minutes into the flight when another passenger, Chris Shepherd, reached overhead for his own bag and Pitchers shouted: “That's my f***ing bag, leave it alone.”

“There was a tussle and the air hostess intervened, but the defendant continued shouting and swearing, lunging towards her face and screaming: 'It's none of your f***ing business, get away from me.'

“Due to his aggressive nature and build it was physically demanding to restrain the defendant and five crew members tried to get him into the business lounge from economy.

“He then became more aggressive and ripped the furnishing off the cup holder and used that to threaten the cabin crew,” added Miss Jacob.

The court heard Pitchers' fists were clenched and he adopted a “fighting stance” and when eventually placed in a seat and restrained with flexicuffs he kicked out at the cabin crew.

“He was waving his arms around and made threats to kill the crew, who tannoyed for a doctor, who concluded Pitchers needed to be sedated.”

As the doctor checked a carpet burn on the defendants' forehead the defendant told him: “You're a condescending c***.”

The captain deemed it too dangerous to continue and the flight, with 477 passengers and crew on board, returned to Heathrow at a cost to Qantas of £31,803.

When quizzed by police Pichers said: “I was silly,” and admitted taking more medication and drinking four pints of lager shortly before boarding.

His lawyer, Mr. Michael Orsulik, told the court: “He is genuinely mortified about his behaviour on that flight and says he is deeply ashamed by his actions.

“He has no recollection of boarding the flight or being taken from the airplane afterwards and says he is horrified and does not recognise himself in the statements.

“He is a compassionate, caring, calm individual and if he could write to all four hundred-odd people on that plane to apologise he would do so.”

Pitchers treated himself to his first holiday in a decade with financial help from his family and a local authority grant after splitting with his partner of ten years, for whom he was their full-time carer.

“He took it very badly and was prescribed mood-stabilisers and anti-depressants.

“He drank to help him sleep on the flight and also took some of his medication, but it seems he took too much.

“He wanted to be knocked out during the flight, but it had the opposite effect.”

Recorder Andrew Wright told Pitchers: “There was no escape for the passengers from the alcohol-fueled aggression you showed.”

Businessman Caught With Stun Gun And CS Gas After Far East Holiday

Stun Gun Shock: Colin Callow

A businessman, who was facing a maximum of ten years imprisonment after being caught with a stun gun, baton and CS gas cannister after stepping off a plane from Thailand, received a suspended sentence yesterday.

Haulage boss Colin Callow, 61, of Longwood, Sutton Maddock, Shifnal, Shropshire bought the illegal weapons cheaply at a Bangkok marketplace, but was caught after his suitcase was searched at Heathrow Airport.

He claims he did not know the electric stun gun – disguised as a police torch – was a weapon when purchased by his travelling companion and innocently bought the baton when looking for martial arts equipment for his son.

Callow, director of Callow Transport and Storage, pleaded guilty to smuggling the stun gun, friction lock baton and CS gas cannister at the airport on December 10, last year.

He also admitted being in possession of a weapon designed to discharge electricity, possessing a weapon designed to discharge gas and possessing an offensive weapon, namely the friction lock baton.

Prosecutor Mr. James Vine told Isleworth Crown Court Callow had spent three weeks in Thailand with friend Arnold Wilby, 82, and was questioned about the contents of his suitcase on his return.

Inside a green plastic bag underneath clothing the UK Border Agency officer found the weapons and when told they were illegal Callow simply replied: “Oh, are they?”

“He said he had gone to Thailand with a friend and they thought it was a good idea to buy a torch because the lighting outside the hotel was poor at night,” explained the prosecutor.

Travelling Pal: Arnold Wilby

“Mr. Callow told the officer his friend had bought the torch at a market and he had no idea it was a stun gun.

“He said his son had asked him to buy numchukas and when he asked about them at the market he was sold the baton and was unaware that it contained a gas cannister.”

The stun gun was tested and emited blue sparks and made a crackling noise and is deemed by the prosecution to be a non-lethal self-defence weapon.

The baton was telescopic and extended to two-feet in length.

Callow's lawyer Mr. Chester Beyts told the court imprisonment for his client would be a diaster for his company, which he has built-up over thirty-five years, and his seventeen employees.

“There is a public interest that the company doesn't collapse.

“He finds himself in the most extraordinary situation and the strain of court proceedings has been frightening for him and those around him.

“He was a vulnerable tourist excited by the marketplace and cannot believe the situation he has got himself into.”

Sentencing Callow to eight months imprisonment, suspended for fifteen months, Recorder David Fisher QC told the first-time offender: “These are serious offences.

“We are dealing with three weapons capable of causing verying degrees of temporary injury and the ever-present danger exists that they might fall into the wrong hands and be used in crime.”

Callow was also orddred to pay £300 costs and a £100 victim surcharge.

He was supported in court by Mr. Wilby, his two daughters, son and his second-in-command at the company.

Online Gun Trader Who Supplied Suspected Drug Dealer Receives Suspended Sentence

An illegal online gun trader, who sold blank starting pistols that could be converted to fire C.S. gas and other toxic substances, received a suspended prison sentence today.

Butcher John Rhodes, 37, of London Street, Fleetwood, Lancashire was investigated by Scotland Yard after a suspected drug dealer was caught with one of the weapon's in the boot of his Audi Q7 during a police swoop.

“You were not aware their sale or transfer was an illegal activity,” Isleworth Crown Court Recorder John Hobson QC told the defendant. “They are not capable of firing bullets or projectiles, but are capable of firing gas or pepper.

“They are capable of being used offensively, they are capable of causing harm if they fall into the wrong hands.”

He sentenced Rhodes to nine months imprisonment, suspended for eighteen months, and ordered him to perform 150 hours community service work. 

The court heard the father-of-three placed ads on a site called 'Gunstar' for a variety of firearms, typically selling them for £150-£250.

They were usually advertised as blank-firing guns that did not require a firearms licence and customers incuded a Colt 45 purchaser, who needed the gun for a World War Two re-enactment and a security consultant who worked in Afghanistan.

He pleaded guilty halfway through his jury trial to twenty-two counts of selling or transferring a weapon designed or adapted for the discharge of gas on or before September 13, 2011 and one count of selling or transferring a Heckler & Koch MPSK-PDW air weapon without a firearms certificate.

A total of twenty-four firearms were seized by police and eighteen will be destroyed with the remainder to be held for future reference purposes.

Rhodes' online identity was 'Johnshotgun' and 'JJMilitaria' and after opening the 'Gunstar' account in 2010 he then set up a second account on another firearms website in 2011.

Police raided his address on September 13, 2011 and Rhodes, who is not the holder of a firearms certificate, told officers he bought the weapons from abroad and thought they were legal.

He estimted his total sales were in the region of fifty firearms and started the business: “To make a couple of quid.”

Rhodes had a small amount of cocaine in his pocket and was cautioned for that offence, claiming he had bought the drug, but not consumed it during a recent night out.

The charges, relate to a Umarex Walther P22; Retay Desert Eagle; three Umarex Colt 1911's; Zoraki 925; Walther P22 forearm.

Rohm RG3; Ekol Viper; Heckler & Koch P30 Walther PP; Ekol Jackal Dual.

Colt 1911; Ekol Special 99; Colt Government 1911; Ekol Jackal Dual blank-firing pistol; Walther P22 blank-firing pistol.

Colt 45 blank-firing pistol; Saver P239 blank-firing pistol; Walther P99 blank-firing pistol; Ekol Viper; Heckler & Koch MPSK-PDW air weapon and a Walther P22 blank-firing pistol.

His lawyer Mr. James Bourne-Arton told the court: “There were no gas cartridges recovered from Rhodes' address and no one bought a gun and then bought any cartridges.”

The firearms are legal in Germany and the lawyer added: “You would be better off arming yourself with a cricket bat, baseball bat or a knife.

“There have been no connections here to any acts of violence.”