Glasgow soldier jailed for deadly firearm sales
A Glasgow soldier who criminals turned to for deadly firearms has been jailed for 10 years.
A Glasgow soldier who criminals turned to for deadly firearms has been jailed for 10 years.
Andrew Steven, 53, ran a “cottage industry” after being hired for his talents at putting guns back into working order.
Over a 20-year period, he reactivated a host of lethal weapons including a sub machine gun and a five-shot revolver.
One firearm was discovered during that time near a murder scene. Others were also uncovered during drugs raids.
It was in March 2015 he was finally snared when police swooped on his specialised workshop at his flat in Ayr.
Officers at the time found a weapon capable of firing 600 rounds a minute.
A judge heard how go-to-man Steven was recruited by underworld figures – before deciding matters were getting “out of control”.
He today returned to the High Court in Glasgow after pleading guilty to being involved in the commission of serious organised crime.
Steven also admitted to a string of firearms charges. The offences dated between 1992 and 2015.
Judge Sean Murphy QC told the first offender his “skills” had been “essential” in the crimes.
He added: “They simply could not have happened without your contribution.”
Three of Steven's associates – convicted criminal Dean Kimmins, 33), Kenneth McMullan, 27, and Michael Stuart, 35, – joined him in the dock today.
The trio had earlier been convicted at a trial of the serious organised crime charge. The offence dated between January and February 2015..
Kimmins, of the city's Kelvinbridge, was jailed for eight years.
McMullan, of the city's Possilpark, was locked up for six years with Stuart, of Uddingston, near Glasgow, sentenced to seven years.
The jury heard how Steven ran an illegal “cottage industry” by reactivating guns that he had bought online.
These included a sten sub-machine gun, a Sig Sauer pistol and a rifle.
One weapon – a King Cobra revolver – was discovered close to a murder scene in the city's Cadder in 1993.
Steven and the others eventually came under police surveillance.
Prosecutor Richard Goddard told the court: “Andrew Steven was the general reactivator and distributor...the gun dealer.
“Dean Kimmins was the customer sourcing guns, Michael Stuart the organiser and Kenneth McMullan was the courier.”
McMullan was caught red handed in Argyle Street, Glasgow in February 2015 with a Smith And Wesson revolver.
Kimmins sourced weapons from Steven having been introduced to him by Stuart.
Kimmins went on to hand over a gun to a man who was later jailed.
Police raided Steven's home in Ayr in March 2015 seizing an haul of guns, tools and ammunition.
The arsenal included a deadly Colt M16 which could discharge 600 rounds a minute.
In his speech to the jury, advocate depute Mr Goddard said: “People don't manufacture and supply guns to other people for charity.
“You can infer this was a crime done for financial gain. They weren't being given away.”
Describing Steven, he added: “This was an active supplier of guns, someone people went to.
“He was running a cottage industry from his flat in Ayr.”
The court heard criminals became aware of Steven's skills at reactivating firearms after he left the military.
Brian McConnachie QC, defending, today/yesterday said: “He understands that once the weapons left his control he had no say in what they would be used for.
“He probably effectively closed his eyes to the situation – the work he was doing could involve serious harm being caused to other people.
“He would be given a sum of money with which to purchase a deactivated weapon.
“He would then carry out the work and would be paid a fee.
“It is the situation that towards the end period he was being targeted...he had taken the view that matters were getting out of control.”