Young Leeds gun-runners jailed for more than 27 years

The four, aged between 21 and 23, were caught out by police after a meeting held at a flat in the city to trade two modified Ekol pistols.

Leeds Crown Court heard that a third, similar gun and ammunition was found weeks earlier by a litter picker near to the address of one of the defendants, prompting a police investigation.

Tested by officer, it was found they could all fire ball bearings capable of seriously injuring or killing.

Callum Scott, Cameron Hanson, Clayton Johnson and Alexander Fothergill all appeared for sentencing today on various charges involving the firearms, ammunition, possession of criminal cash and drugs offences.

Prosecutor Michael Smith said the litter picker had come across the firearm when she found a bag on Clayton Court in Leeds on March 9 this year.

It contained an Ekol pistol that had its barrel replaced, along with two packs of 9mm blank ammunition that had also been modified with ball bearings pressed into the cartridge.

Then on the afternoon of April 28, a meeting took place at an address at Queenshill Gardens in Moortown after calls and messages were exchanged between three of the gang members.

Scott, Johnson and Hanson were all at the address.

Hanson was stopped by police a short time later after leaving the property, and found to have the two modified guns and 16 bullets in his car.

Scott and Johnson were arrested at the property, where £800 was found which police say was used to buy the guns.

Fothergill was arrested in June.

Mr Smith said the sale of the guns was between two criminal gangs, the first involving Scott and Johnson who sold them to another gang which included Hanson.

He said that Fothergill acted as the go-between for the two sides.

Scott, Fothergill and Johnson admitted charges of conspiracy to transfer illegal firearms, with Hanson pleading guilty to possessing illegal firearms.

Scott, Johnson and Hanson also admitted possession of criminal cash, while all admitted conspiracy to possess ammunition.

Additional charges included Hanson admitting possession of cannabis, dealing in cannabis, criminal damage on a police vehicle and money laundering after he was caught with £3,000 in cash.

Johnson also admitted dealing Class A drugs.

Judge Neil Clark handed them sentences ranging from four years and six months, to eight years and four months.

Cameron Hanson

Hanson, of Lawrence Crescent, Gipton was given eight years and four months’ jail.

The 21-year-old bought the guns on behalf of a criminal gang.

On a basis of plea, he said they were not for him, but he was asked to pick them up after running up a drug debt, having been told where to go and what he was collecting.

He also admitted possession of cannabis dating back to February 2021, and after being arrested with the firearms, evidence of cannabis dealing was found on his phone, which he also admitted.

Furthermore, he admitted possession of criminal cash after being stopped by police in April 2020 on Moorland Road in Leeds and was found to have £3,000 under the passenger seat of his Seat Ibiza.

Claiming it was his mother’s, he was heard trying to persuade her on the phone to tell officers that it was hers. When she refused, he became angry and began spitting in the police van.

He has six previous convictions for seven offences, including possession of drugs and possession of a knife.

Mitigating on his behalf, Katherine Robinson said his cannabis use had led to him getting into debt with the gang.

She said that he received his GCSEs and had “potential”, starting an electronics course, but then fell into drugs.

Clayton Johnson

Johnson, of Stonegate Chase, Leeds, was given eight years and three months’ jail.

The 23-year-old had provided the address for the gun-trade meeting, and “acted as a facilitator”, becoming involved in the messages between the parties in the run up to the meeting.

He also admitted dealing in Class A drugs after being stopped by police in Ripon, North Yorkshire, in October 2020.

His passenger was found to have MDMA pills, heroin and crack cocaine on him, along with a knife and £500 cash.

However, Johnson’s DNA was found on the drugs while his mobile phone had evidence of dealing, offering to drop-off drugs to users around the area.

His passenger was dealt with by the courts in York.

Johnson has 17 convictions for 20 offences, including numerous for violence and a previous drug-dealing offence.

Mitigating for Johnson, Matthew Stewart said that he had been drawn to gang culture and admitted he knew what the meeting was being set up for.

Callum Scott

Scott, of Spen Walk, Leeds, received a six-year jail term.

The 22-year-old’s role was to keep possession of the firearms and to transfer them to the meeting.

The court was told that despite his limited role, he “must have been trusted” by the gang bosses, according to Judge Neil Clark.

Like Hanson, he claimed he got into a drug debt and was forced to work it off.

Mitigating, Matthew Harding said Scott was “at the bottom of the chain” but was “acutely aware” of what he was doing.

He has three previous convictions for 12 offences, including dealing cannabis and possession of knives.

Alexander Fothergill

Receiving four years and six months’ jail, Fothergill’s role was to put the two criminal gangs in touch with each other.

The 21-year-old, of Newton Park Drive, Pottertown, has no previous convictions.

Mitigating, Kara Frith said that his time spent on remand had been a “real shock” to him.

She said: “He knew it involved the purchase of firearms.

"He was focussed on ingratiating himself in his peer group. He is an intelligent and insightful young man.

"He is absolutely adamant that this is not the life he wants.”