Teenager who built gun with 3D printer avoids jail

The gun was made with a 3D printer James Maris received for Christmas

A teenager who used a 3D printer he got for Christmas to attempt to make a semi- automatic rifle has been given a community sentence.

A court heard that James Maris, 19, used the present from his parents to manufacture parts for a firearm called the FGC9.

Police acting on intelligence raided his family home in Rannoch, Perthshire, where they found the printer, components for the gun and computer files.

Maris was ordered to complete 300 hours of unpaid work, placed under supervision for three years, and sentenced to a 12-month night-time curfew after admitting offences under the Firearms Act.

Gun parts were discovered in a plastic container in Maris's room

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that two of the charges carried a minimum term of three years detention unless a judge held that exceptional circumstances existed in the case.

Judge Lady Hood said that she believed this was the case, and told Maris she took into account the circumstances of the offending, his own circumstances and a risk assessment prepared on him.

Advocate depute Liam Ewing KC, prosecuting, previously told the court that the teenager told police he was "fascinated with firearms" and had been building a gun that was in a white box in his bedroom.

Mr Ewing said: "He stated this was his and had nothing to do with his parents, and that he only built this for a hobby and had no intention of using it to hurt anybody."

The court heard that Maris, a first offender, was diagnosed with autism, ADHD and suffered from anxiety.

Mr Ewing said 3D printed firearms are primarily made from 3D printed plastic components, with some metal parts such as barrels, firing pins and springs.

During a search of a bedroom cupboard police found the printed parts for the gun in a box. They also found replica weapons and ammunition.

'No radical views'

On opening the box they discovered a handwritten letter which read: "If you are reading this I am most probably caught but I need to try and explain why I've done this.

"It's not for causing any harm nor is it to spread a message or belief - it's purely for my own interest as I have a passion for firearms and engineering."

Maris said in the letter that he held "no radical views, nor have any association to people that do," and apologised for the inconvenience he had caused.

The letter concluded: "I am the only one who is responsible for this and have had no help during construction either. Thank you for reading and I'm sorry."

The prosecutor said: "He expressed pro-gun-control views and an intention to ultimately destroy the components or to hand them in to the police."

Detectives investigating the case concluded that Maris was "nearing the end of the manufacturing process" for the weapon.

The court was told that Police Scotland were not aware of a successful attempt to manufacture an FGC9 in the country.

Defence solicitor advocate Ewen Roy said a further report prepared on Maris "underscored his high level of remorse".

Maris earlier admitted attempting to manufacture a firearm without authority between January and May in 2023 and unlawful possession of a prohibited weapon and ammunition.

Lady Hood also limited Maris's mobile phone and computer ownership and told him he must make devices available to police and a supervising officer.