Men who exchanged self-loading pistol jailed

Malcolm Parker (left) was found with the gun and ammunition after visiting Junior Rankin (right)

Two men who exchanged a self-loading pistol have been jailed after officers found the firearm and 88 rounds of ammunition.

Cambridgeshire Police said Malcolm Parker, 67 of Burgess Walk, St Ives, was stopped by firearms officers as he walked through the Cresset Centre in Bretton, Peterborough, at about 11:30 BST on 8 July 2023.

He was carrying a bag which contained a 9mm calibre Kimel Ap-9 self-loading pistol and 88 rounds of ammunition. He had picked up the weapon from Junior Rankin, 43 of Rightwell East, Bretton.

Det Sgt Jacob Tustin-Reeves said: "I'm pleased Parker and Rankin were apprehended soon after the trade, before this viable gun could be used."

Specialist firearms officers made the gun safe before seizing it, along with Parker's mobile phone.

His prior movements were established and Rankin was arrested at his home and had his phone seized.

In six days from 1 July, analysis of the phones showed the men had exchanged 14 calls and texts.

The phone linked to Parker showed that he travelled to Rankin's home on the day of the arrest and was captured on CCTV arriving without a bag. Forty-five minutes later he left the property with the bag containing the weapon.

Det Sgt Jacob Tustin-Reeves says "Cambridgeshire is a safer place with it [firearm] destroyed"

At Huntingdon Law Courts on Monday, Parker was jailed for seven and a half years after admitting possession of a prohibited firearm and possession of ammunition for a firearm without a certificate.

At the same hearing, Rankin was jailed for five years and two months after pleading guilty to selling a prohibited weapon and selling ammunition to a person who did not hold a firearm certificate.

Det Sgt Tustin-Reeves said: "Weapons like this have no place in the hands of the public and Cambridgeshire is a safer place with it destroyed."