Man jailed after gun found inside vacuum cleaner

Alan Teague admitted to possession of the firearm as well as the ammunition that was found inside a vacuum cleaner

A man has been jailed after police discovered a gun stashed inside a vacuum cleaner at his home.

Alan Teague, 49, was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition without a certificate.

Police were called to reports of a gun being brandished during an argument on Meadow Close, Birmingham, on 29 June.

After searching Teague's property on Meadow Close, the illegally converted Ekol gun was discovered, alongside the ammunition.

Teague pleaded guilty to the charges at Birmingham Crown Court on 28 July.

He pleaded not guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and was not convicted.

In addition to his prison sentence, he was handed at the same court last week a five-year restraining order.

West Midlands Police said the Ekol blank-firing pistol had been converted to become a viable weapon. It became illegal this year to possess top-venting blank firers, as they are readily convertible.

Det Sgt Rosie Thomas said: "It wasn't the most typical place we'd find a gun, but the main thing is we were able to seize it and convict Teague.

"Guns cause fear and harm within our communities and we'll continue to take viable firearms off the streets."