Lethal fully-loaded Glock pistol found at home of convicted Leeds armed robber who turned to drug dealing
A violent armed robber who turned to drug dealing after being released from prison was found with a fully-loaded working pistol at his home.
Thomas Silverwood was paranoid about the National Crime Agency (NCA) trailing him as he sold Class A drugs on Leeds streets. He was in fact being watched by specialist officers of West Yorkshire Police who witnessed him make deals from a BMW 3 Series.
But along with high-purity drugs found during a raid on his home, they found a fully-functioning Glock 19 self-loading pistol, with 11 bullets in a loaded magazine, including one in the chamber ready to be fired.
It was estimated to be worth up to £5,000 and Leeds Crown Court was told it was “highly sought-after model” for criminal gangs.
The 30-year-old, who was jailed in 2014 for a string of violent raids on pubs and restaurants, admitted possession of a prohibited firearm and ammunition, two counts of dealing in Class A drugs and one of dangerous driving during a sentencing hearing this week.
The court heard that police watched Silverwood deal from a BMW in the Chapeltown area on December 27 last year, with addicts approaching the car and handing over money in exchange for wraps of drugs. He was then seen again dealing an hour later.
He was spotted again on December 30, and then on January 21 on Back Blenheim Terrace in Woodhouse, but this time in a different BMW 3 Series.
Shortly before 11am two males approached and bought drugs and the BMW drove off. Followed, he approached a roundabout at speed on St George Street, Middleton, undertaking a vehicle and forcing the police and others to stop to avoid a collision.
He then overtook a a line of queuing traffic and out of sight from the covert police.
Officers went to his home, a flat on Pennyfield Close in Meanwood, on January 27 and arrested him. They found more than 30 grammes of cocaine with a purity up to 91 per cent, and 23 MDMA pills.
They also recovered sets of digital scales and £3,000 in cash, separated into £1,000 bundles. A mobile phone was found to contain Snapchat messages that suggested he was concerned about the NCA.
They found the Glock pistol and bullets in a TV cabinet drawer.
Silverwood has 16 convictions for 24 offences. In 2014 he was one of six gang members to be jailed for a combined total of 50 years after committing a string of armed robberies at pubs and restaurants across Leeds.
They included premises in Horsforth, Cookridge, Meanwood, Armley, West Park and Rothwell. Armed with knives, machetes and hammers, they threatened staff into handing over money.
Silverwood received 12 years after he was found to be the “chief lieutenant” to the gang’s leader.
Following his release, he was convicted again in 2022 of ABH, dangerous driving and possession of a bladed article.
Mitigating for his latest offending, Susannah Proctor said having spent such lengthy periods behind bars, it had “shaped his life”.
She said he dealt drugs because he had become “accustomed to a lifestyle he was unable to sustain”. Ms Proctor said there was no evidence the weapon had been taken with him while dealing, or that he had made any threats.
She said he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which left him unable to work, but conceded he needed to find a solution or he would “fall back into criminality”.
She said he was remorseful for putting his family through his criminal proceedings again.
Judge Rayfield said people caught with lethal weapons “can and must expect prison for a long time”. She jailed him for seven years and four months in total , and banned from driving for four years and eight months.
Speaking after his sentencing, senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Kevin Daly of West Yorkshire Police’s Programme Precision team which tackles serious organised crime said: “We welcome the court's decision today to sentence Silverwood for his involvement in serious drugs and firearms offences.
“This outcome reflects the commitment of West Yorkshire Police's Programme Precision officers in tackling organised crime and ensuring the safety of the communities we serve.
“I hope this serves as a strong deterrent to those who think they can engage in such illegal activities without facing consequences.”