Leeds man caught by police at Morley property with shotgun and ammunition 'for protection'

Dane Lyons, 29, of Trentham Place, was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court today (Friday) for being in possession of the firearm and ammunition at a property in Morley.

Police arrived at the property on October 27 this year to carry out a drugs warrant and found that the front door had been boarded up. Lyons was seen through the upstairs window and was instructed to make his way to the front door.

Prosecuting, Satpal Roth-Sharma said: “Due to the time that it took it appeared that he was hesitating.”

Police forced their way into the house and handcuffed Lyons and his girlfriend, who was also in the property. Lyons “appeared agitated” and began apologising to his girlfriend. Police later established this was for the firearm that was discovered.

A police officer found the single-barrel sawn-off shotgun in the loft area within a black backpack and called the firearms officers to the scene, who later confirmed that the weapon was a viable firearm “in good working order”.

One shotgun cartridge was located inside the gun and another five were found in a black Liverpool F.C. bag. A bag of cannabis was also located.

Lyons told police that he had bought the gun for approximately £500 from an unnamed man in Birmingham “for his own protection” as “several people were pursuing him”.

The court was told that Lyons has 27 previous convictions and in mitigation, Sean Smith said that Lyons was planning on moving away from Leeds to get away from the criminal violence that he had found himself wrapped up in. He said that Lyons wanted to take up youth work to talk young people out of turning to crime.

Mr Smith said: “There’s a small chink that the penny has finally dropped and he wants to turn away from crime.”

Lyons pleaded guilty to two charges relating to the possession of the sawn-off shotgun and another charge relating to the possession of cannabis. Judge Rodney Jameson KC said: “You were going to use it if necessary for protection.

"For someone with previous convictions to obtain a firearm with no purpose other than in unlawful circumstances is a very serious matter.”

Lyons was sentenced to 16 months in prison.

Detective Inspector Michael Herbert, who heads Leeds District Programme Precision Team, said: “Illegally held firearms and ammunition such as these have the potential to kill or cause serious injury and have absolutely no place in the hands of criminals.

“Programme Precision officers specialise in targeting those involved in the organised supply of drugs and the serious violence associated with this criminal trade and it was during that work that this weapon was seized.

“The criminal use of firearms is an issue that causes understandable concern in our communities, and I hope people can take some reassurance from knowing we have taken yet another deadly weapon off the streets and put an offender behind bars.”