Man jailed after a loaded handgun and drugs found in van in Northamptonshire
Officers seized two small bags of drugs – one containing Class A (MDMA) and one of Class B (Amphetamine)
A 47-year-old man has been jailed for five years and five months after a routine traffic stop led to the recovery of an illegal handgun.
At about 1.35pm on November 26, 2024, a Northamptonshire Roads Policing officer stopped the driver of a white Fiat Doblo van at Irchester Country Park for a routine search.
The driver – who identified himself as Jamie Brown – was promptly arrested for driving while disqualified and without third party insurance.
Following his arrest, the officer was joined by Roads Policing colleagues to assist with a search of the van, and a black viable handgun containing live ammunition was found underneath the driver’s seat.
Officers also seized two small bags of drugs – one containing Class A (MDMA) and one of Class B (Amphetamine) and found that the van was travelling on false numberplates, which had been stuck over its original ones.
Brown was further arrested and subsequently charged with a total of eight offences, including possession of a firearm when prohibited for life after being handed a three-year sentence for previous offences.
Two days later (November 28), at Northampton Magistrates’ Court, Brown, of Webb Road in Raunds, had his case committed to the county’s crown court, where he went on to plead guilty to all offences.
On Friday, May 9, Brown returned to Northampton Crown Court where he was sentenced to a total of five years and five months and order to pay a surcharge of £228 for:
• Possession of a firearm of length less than 30cm/60cm – prohibited weapon
• Possess ammunition for a firearm without a certificate
• Possess a firearm when prohibited for life
• Possess a controlled drug of Class A – MDMA
• Possess a controlled drug of Class B – Amphetamine
• Driving while disqualified
• Fraudulently use a registration mark/document
• Use a motor vehicle on a road/public place without third party insurance
The court also issued a forfeiture and destruction order on the handgun, ammunition, drugs and numberplates.
Detective Constable Anna Orton of the North CID team, who led the investigation, said: “Jamie Brown only has himself to blame as it was his choice to continue to drive, despite being disqualified, that led us to the recovery of the handgun.
“We hope that this investigation provides reassurance to our local communities that we will continue to robustly remove both dangerous individuals and illegal weapons from our towns.”