Northumberland man in court after police find 11 illegal guns at his address

Officers have reinforced the consequences of buying weapons online after a man was sentenced for possessing a stash of illegal firearms – which will now be destroyed.
Eleven illegal firearms seized by Northumbria Police.Eleven illegal firearms seized by Northumbria Police.
Eleven illegal firearms seized by Northumbria Police.

Rodger Hadlow, 58, from Hertford Grove, Cramlington found himself in front of a judge at Newcastle Crown Court on Thursday, October 3, after officers from Northumbria Police found 14 weapons in his property.

Further examination of the firearms found 11 of them to be illegal in the UK.

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Hadlow was visited by officers from Northumbria Police earlier in the year after they received a tip from the National Crime Agency as part of an on-going operation to combat the purchase of illegal weapons online.

Detective Inspector John Connolly, from Northumbria Police’s Crime Department, said: “We are urging the public to get to know what the law states where buying items from overseas are concerned. Just because something is for sale online, it is not exempt from the laws and customs of our country.

“We are working alongside our partners at the NCA to ensure that action is taken against those buying and selling prohibited firearms. We take a strong stance against this and would like to remind people it is an offence which is punishable by five years in jail.”

Hadlow pleaded guilty to 11 counts of possessing prohibited weapons and 10 counts of evading duty on imported items.

He was sentenced to a total of 24 months in prison, suspended for 24 months. Harlow must pay £250 court costs and a victim surcharge of £140. A forfeiture and destruction order was also issued.