Man who tried to import guns and grenades in Telford jailed for eight years

Octavius Waldron, 37, was arrested in Telford by armed officers after he took delivery of a dummy parcel sent to an address in the town.

He was arrested on May 7 following a police swoop in the Ketley area after the real package containing a Glock pistol, an FN57 pistol and 350 rounds of ammunition including military grade grenades was intercepted by the authorities in the United States.

Sentencing him in Birmingham, Judge Michael Chambers QC said: "You played an integral role in clearly what was a criminal enterprise to attempt to import into this country two genuine handguns and ammunition for them.

"Of greatest concern were the three fragmentation grenades.

"The circumstances were that on May 7, 2019, a consignment was delivered to an address in Telford. It was in fact a dummy package. In fact what had been ordered was a Glock pistol and FN57 pistol both genuine firearms."

"The grenades were three M67 fragmentation grenades which had the potential to project forward a distance of some 15 metres."

Waldron, whose address was not revealed in court, previously pleaded guilty to three offences - attempted possession of an explosive substance, attempted possession of a prohibited weapon and attempted possession of ammunition without a firearm certificate - ahead of a trial.

Prosecuting barrister Mr William Baker said: "The prosecution case in a nutshell is that the defendant was in a chain of supply within the UK. His role was to remove the firearms, ammunition and grenades from the imported package in the UK for onward supply."

Mr Baker said that on May 2 this year a parcel was sent in the USA by mail to an address in the Trench area of Telford.

Parked

"The parcel was opened by a Federal Agent in the USA before it was shipped to the UK. It contained two handguns, 350 rounds of ammunition and three fragmentation grenades," Mr Baker told the court.

"On May 7 at 11.24am the defendant's van was parked outside the delivery address in Telford. A 12.18 a dummy parcel was delivered to the address. At 12.21 the parcel was taken from that address to another location where it was handed to the defendant.

"At the handover he was heard saying, 'Fine I know what this is'. He took it inside.

"Inside his flat the defendant opened the parcel attempting to take possession of the handguns, ammunition and grenades.

"At 2.04pm - he appears to have heard the armed police arriving, looked out of the window and saw them. He carried the parcel out of the flat onto a communal landing where he discarded it and the rubber gloves he wore to open it," Mr Baker added.

Mr Paul Smith mitigating barrister on Waldron's behalf said: "The defendant is a man with no relevant convictions. I would like to ask the court to go a little further on credit."

"This man was the front for other criminals to hide behind," Mr Smith added.

For the offences Waldron was jailed for a total of eight years. He must serve half before being released on licence. He must pay the victims surcharge.

Waldron, a father-of-four, has previous convictions for dissimilar matters.