Man jailed after hunting for hidden gun in gang feud

Liam McDermid admitted being involved in organised crime at the High Court in Edinburgh

A man who tried to use a metal detector to find a hidden handgun has been jailed for six years and nine months.

Liam McDermid, 25, admitted being involved in serious and organised crime after a police surveillance operation caught him searching in undergrowth in Edinburgh.

Officers later recovered the semi-automatic Glock pistol and 10 rounds of 9mm ammunition not far from school buildings.

Judge Lord Arthurson told McDermid that the sentence reflected the "extremely high" public interest in punishing criminality involving lethal weapons.

It is the first prosecution under Police Scotland's Operation Portaledge, launched in response to gang violence which erupted across the central Scotland in March.

The charge stated that McDermid knew his decision to go to Roseburn Path to search for the weapon would "enable or further the commission of serious organised crime".

The Glock pistol was discovered in undergrowth by the Roseburn Path

The High Court in Edinburgh heard how during police surveillance McDermid, of Edinburgh's Magdalene area, was seen taking a taxi to Roseburn Street on 5 June.

Officers watched him enter and exit a nearby shop repeatedly while scanning the street before walking to Roseburn Path.

The path is a disused railway line which has been converted to a popular walking and cycling route and is bound on either side by bushes and trees.

The court heard that McDermid "disappeared from view" before emerging from bushes with his face covered and "holding a metal detector in his right hand".

The next time he came out of the bushes, he no longer had the metal detector and was seen speaking into a black iPhone.

When he was detained by officers that afternoon, they found he was in possession of gloves, a balaclava and £320 in cash.

Police Scotland closed Roseburn Path for six days after McDermid was arrested

Officers closed the path to the public but did not find the gun until 11 June – six days after McDermid had carried out his search.

BBC Scotland News understands that the operation was delayed by a badger sett being within the search area.

A magazine containing 10 rounds of 9mm bullets was also recovered along with the metal detector abandoned by McDermid.

Analysis of McDermid's phone found he had carried out Google searches on how to use a metal detector including "settings to find metal on metal detector," "how to use metal detector," and "do you need the headphone for metal detector".

Text messages between McDermid and another person included him saying he was "going up to … Gorgie to find that thing for him".

During the previous hearing, McDermid's lawyer told Lord Arthurson that even although his client had 19 previous convictions, he had never previously served a prison sentence.

At the sentencing hearing, defence advocate Brian McConnachie KC told the court that another person had asked McDermid to recover the weapon.

He said his client got a "positive hit" with the metal detector but decided to stop searching for the gun at that point.

"It seems the reality of what he was involved in dawned on him," Mr McConnachie said.

However, Lord Arthurson told McDermid, who has a history of cocaine use and mental health issues, that only a "significant" custodial sentence would be appropriate.

"The public interest in suppressing and punishing such serious organised criminal activity is extremely high, particularly so when, as in this case, lethal weapons are involved," he said.

"The citizens of Edinburgh have been understandably and indeed rightly concerned by the recent upsurge of such criminality in their communities.

"This offence was planned and co-ordinated, and it is clear that there are links to serious and organised criminal activities."

He added: "You used a metal detector, an iPhone and a balaclava as you undertook your task.

"The weapon which was the subject of your search was subsequently found to be located in an area in proximity with nursery and junior school buildings, which buildings were doubtless populated on a term-time school day with young children."

Lord Arthurson told McDermid he took into consideration his personal circumstances in determining the prison sentence.

He added that McDermid had expressed remorse but had a "misplaced sense of loyalty" to his criminal peers.

Det Ch Supt Dave Ferry, from Police Scotland's specialist crime division, said: "I hope this sentence sends a message to those involved in serious criminality that we remain determined to bring you to justice.

"The recovery of the firearm formed part of a long and incredibly complex investigation, which remains ongoing, and involves a range of specialist officers working closely with our partners."