THREE men from Coventry who were involved in serious organised crime have been jailed for firearms offences.
They were part of a group of eight men who have been sentenced to a total of more than 55 years in prison following a police operation in Leicester.
The men all pleaded guilty at previous hearings and appeared yesterday (Monday, November 12) at Leicester Crown Court.
They were sentenced for crimes including robbery, firearms possession and drugs supply.
On September 1 last year, Jahangir Ali, 28, who is believed to have orchestrated the dealings, was arrested in Coventry.
Justin McCormack, 44, and Callum Taylor, 27, from Willenhall, Coventry, were arrested after travelling from Coventry to Bitteswell in Leicestershire to buy firearms.
The pair had met up with Leicester men Kyle Ross, who was still under investigation, and Freddy Manship on the outskirts of the village who produced two shotguns from a rented container.
Money had changed hands before the visitors left with a pump action shotgun, and a semi-automatic shotgun and more than 30 rounds of ammunition.
Armed police arrested McCormack and Taylor on their journey home, and found the firearms placed between the driver’s and passenger seat.
One of the weapons was fully-loaded, with the safety catch off.
Following closer scrutiny, the second shotgun was found to be deactivated.
The defendants were sentenced as follows:
– Justin McCormack, 44, of Knightlowe Avenue, Coventry, was sentenced to a total of six years for one count of possession of a prohibited weapon and one count of possession of an imitation firearm
– Callum Taylor, 27, of Epson Drive, Coventry, was sentenced to a total of six years for one count of possession of a prohibited weapon, one count of possession of an imitation firearm and one count of possession of ammunition while prohibited by conviction
– Jahangir Ali, 28, of Warwick Road, Coventry, was sentenced to a total of nine years for conspiracy to transfer a firearm and one count of conspiracy to convert criminal property
– Mohammed Khan, 35, of Hornby Road, Leicester, James O’Neill, 28, of Nevanthon Road, Leicester, and Leon Nelson, 33, of Hoefield Crescent, Nottingham, were sentenced to four years respectively for one count of conspiracy to commit robbery and one count of conspiracy to convert criminal property
– Kyle Ross, 26, of Winton Avenue, Leicester, was sentenced to a total of 12 years and six months for one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, one count of transferring a prohibited weapon, one count of transferring an imitation firearm, one count of possession of ammunition while prohibited by conviction, one count of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and one count of conspiracy to supply Class B drugs
– Freddy Manship, 25, of Rowanberry Avenue, Leicester, was sentenced to a total of 10 years and three months for one count of transferring a prohibited weapon, one count of transferring an imitation firearm, one count of possession of ammunition while prohibited by conviction, one count of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and one count of conspiracy to supply Class B drugs
A ninth man, Brian McGhee, 54, of Narborough Road, Leicester, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, for one count of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and one count of conspiracy to supply Class B drugs.
A tenth man, will be sentenced at a later date for one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, one count of Section 20 grievous bodily harm (GBH) and one count of conspiracy to supply Class B drugs.
