Father and son from Woodbridge sentenced for firearm offences
59-year-old Crispin Richards and his 24-year-old son Philip Richards of Bridgewood Road pleaded guilty
Last updated 2nd Nov 2021
Two men, a father and his son, have been handed suspended prison sentences and orders to perform 250 hours of unpaid work after violating various firearms regulations.
59-year-old Crispin Richards and his 24-year-old son Philip Richards, both of Bridgewood Road in Woodbridge, pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited weapon without authority.
When they were arrested last year, Crispin was a registered firearms dealer and Philip was a firearms and shotgun certificate holder.
The arrest came after a routine inspection of the premises, where these guns were stored, found 800 weapons, component parts and loose ammunition unsecure throughout the address, including under beds, in wardrobes, behind doors, in sofas and inside storage boxes. This was in breach of their license conditions.
The weapons and parts were seized by officers and taken to the Martlesham Police Investigation Centre, where they discovered a sawed-off shotgun and walking stick shotgun that is prohibited.
They were both arrested and charged on October 16th 2020. On Friday October 29, 2021, the father and son received their sentences.
These also included a £5000 fine for Crispin. Their firearms certificates have been revoked and orders were made for the forfeiture and destruction of the weapons relating to their convictions.
Detective Constable John Payne said: “Both father and son had possession of prohibited weapons, which were not properly stored and had the potential to cause death or serious injury.
“I hope this case serves as a reminder to all owners of firearms to uphold responsible gun ownership, and ensure that all firearms are secured as directed by a police firearms licensing officer.”