Jail for East Sussex man found with illegal firearms
Dennis Early bought the weapons online through a Spanish website
An East Sussex man found with illegal and potentially lethal firearms in his home have been jailed for just under three years.
Officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA) found a converted pistol, blank-firing firearms and bullets at Dennis Early's home in Westfield in February 2022.
The items were discovered in a hallway, living room and a workshop in the 48-year-old's back garden during a pre-dawn raid.
The blank-firing guns were of a kind deemed ‘readily-convertible’ – meaning they are more easily altered to fire live bullets than other types.
Such firearms are often sought by criminals, as guns originally manufactured for lethal fire are considerably more difficult to acquire. Blank-firers are nevertheless illegal to own without the appropriate authority.
The NCA’s investigation identified that Early, who did not have authority to own such a firearm, had purchased the guns online through a Spanish website, and received them in the post.
Early, who pleaded guilty to firearms offences, was sentenced to two years and 10 months in prison on Thursday (April 25th).
Senior Investigating Officer Tracey Lake from the NCA said:
"These firearms were all potentially lethal, and could have ruined many lives if used on UK streets.
"Gun crime is relatively low in the UK, and the NCA is working tirelessly with partners in the UK and abroad to help ensure this remains the case, and the public is protected."