A ‘gun nut’ who manufactured his own guns from scratch in his home has been jailed.
Raymond Frederick Nugent, 73, was sentenced to seven and a half years imprisonment at at Snaresbrook Crown Court in London on Friday (20/1) after being convicted of 45 seperate firearms offences.
The self-described ‘gun nut’ had been arrested in October 2019 after a lengthy investigation into imports of blank-firing weapons into the UK from Czechia in 2018.
Despite insisting that he never intended to sell or fire the weapons, Nugent was found to have cut cardboard templates of various weapons to create new firing mechanisms for dozens of disarmed guns.
Nugent, of Coltishall Road, Hornchurch, was found to have dozens of home-made guns and ammunition in his home when officers raided it in November 2018.
Among the cache were a number of deactivated weapons that had been re-activated - including a stun gun, an Italian Bruni (BBM) Model ME .38calibre revolver and a Turkish Atak 914- self-loading 9mm pistol
He had also converted blank ammunition into live ammo that could be fired from the weapons.
During his trial last year, an expert also highlighted that one weapon Nugent had produced was in fact 25% more powerful than a factory-produced firearm of similar calibre and style.
Detective Superintendent Victoria Sullivan, Specialist Crime, said: “Though no evidence was found of any associated criminality linked to Nugent’s activities, the arsenal he had in his possession was lethal and, in the wrong hands, quite capable of causing incredibly serious harm.
“It’s thanks to quick and decisive partnership working with our colleagues in the National Crime Agency, who alerted us to Nugent, that we’ve been able to bring him to justice here.
“These efforts were recognised by the judge who commended our investigating officer.”
Metropolitan Police Detective Sergeant Andy Henderson, the investigating officer, added: “This investigation demonstrates how we will seek to arrest and prosecute anyone concerned in the production of dangerous weapons.
“Following the conclusion of criminal proceedings the weapons will now be destroyed. It is sheer luck that Nugent himself managed to avoid serious injury during production; though some appear crude, it is a highly dangerous enterprise, and anyone concerned in similar activities should be well aware of the consequences.”
SWNS
