A TEENAGER has been caught in possession of a loaded gun when his home was raided in Lymm.

The court heard how Cheshire Police carried out a search warrant at a bungalow on Stage Lane in the village, only to find two guns hidden in a drawer at the property, one of which was full with ammunition.

Mohammed Sharriff, of Yarburgh Street, Manchester, appeared before Chester Crown Court last Tuesday facing charges of possessing prohibited firearms.

The 19-year-old was also to be facing drug charges relating to intent to supply but the defence made it clear that Sharriff had those charges dropped based on the valid defence under section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

Prosecuting, Davydd Roberts said the incident occurred on August 17 last year.

He said officers arrived at the address where they found Sharriff and another individual.

After carrying out a search of the property they found in a drawer a black handgun hidden under a tea towel which had no ammunition and an air cartridge revolver which had five rounds of gun pellets.

Sharriff was arrested after the search warrant had taken place and the court heard how he shouted to the other individual living at the home ‘you don’t have to worry; they know it’s not yours’ as he was escorted away by police.

A mobile phone was recovered from the search and messages found on the phone indicated to his involvement in the supply of cocaine.

During questioning the teen claimed that he was given the gun by a third party.

A video was also found of Sharriff handling the gun – he said he was asked to send a video to prove he still had possession of the gun.

Defending, Mark Conner emphasised that the further drug charges had been dropped based on the Modern Slavery Act with the suggestion that Sharriff was coerced into acting on the events which have led him to be sat in court.

“In this particular case there are exceptional circumstances relating to the defendant.

“The firearms were held by the defendant through coercion and intimidation,” he said.

Mr Conner referred to the defendant’s ‘background’ as being of exceptional circumstances and asked the judge to consider the length of time of the defendants sentence due to him being ‘subjected to pressure and duress over an amount of time’.

“It is not easy for a 19-year-old man to have the reside to break free from the clutches of his old life.

“He is determined to lead a provincial life.”

Sharriff has only one conviction to his name of dangerous driving and served a recent sentence of 28 weeks for the charge.

Mr conner added: “I accept that these two offences do cross the custodial threshold.

“His age and immaturity do play a factor in this.”

Concluding, Judge Patrick Thompson said: “This country is awash with weapons at the moment.

“That is why an act such as the Modern Slavery Act does not apply to this.”

Judge Thompson said before sentencing Sharriff that he could not ignore that the defence had successfully been used, as well as the background of coercion that the defendant had been subjected to and his young age.

Despite the starting band being five years for having possession of a firearm, due to the exceptional circumstances involved and other factors in the case, the teen was handed a three year sentence in a detention centre of which he will serve half of before being released on licence. 

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