Pair found with guns and ammunition jailed

Joseph Steele, 34, and Sheera Virk, 24, were spotted by police in a suspected cloned vehicle

Two men caught with three guns and ammunition in the back seat of a pick-up truck have been jailed.

Joseph Steele, 34, and Sheera Virk, 24, were spotted by police in a suspected cloned vehicle at Trowell Services on the M1 in Nottinghamshire on 30 March, 2023.

After fleeing the scene, they were involved in a crash with a lorry, at which point officers discovered a black case containing the firearms in the Ford Ranger.

Virk, from Whitnash, and Steele, of Stratford-upon-Avon, were jailed for eight and nine years respectively at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday.

They had both been convicted of possession of firearms and possession of prohibited ammunition following a three-week trial at the same court.

Virk was also convicted of dangerous driving.

Three black guns were found in a case on the back seat of a Ford Ranger

Following their arrest, an investigation led by South Yorkshire Police identified further people involved in a conspiracy to manufacture and supply firearms to the pair.

Nine defendants have since been convicted and are due to be sentencd over the coming months.

Det Con Amelia Hicklin, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "The initial stop by Operational Support officers was an extremely impressive piece of proactive police work.

"It also prompted a robust and wider investigation with colleagues from other forces."