Man jailed over handguns and drugs find after fire

Jason Spence has been jailed for 10 years and eight months

A man has been jailed after a pair of handguns, magazines of ammunition and a silencer were found in his house following a fire there.

Police found the weapons after being called to the fire at Jason Spence's home in Shearing Hill, Gedling, Nottinghamshire, which was ruled an accident by investigators.

Spence was not in at the time, and Nottinghamshire Police said officers found a large cannabis grow inside the house, prompting further searches which led to them finding the guns.

The 54-year-old pleaded guilty to a total of eight charges and was sentenced to 10 years and eight months in prison when he was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Monday.

Police said a green holdall bag was found hidden in a loft space inside Spence's garage.

This contained a handgun, self-loading pistol, multiple rounds of ammunition and a sound moderator, the force added.

Officers seized these items as well as 109 cannabis plants and growing equipment after the search on 11 January.

Police said the firearms were checked over by experts and confirmed to be viable

The force said it then attempted to find Spence, who was located and arrested days later in Stockport.

Spence was charged with two counts of possessing a firearm less than 12in (30cm) in length and four counts of possessing ammunition for a firearm.

He was also charged with possessing a firearm without a certificate - in relation to the silencer - and the production of cannabis.

Det Insp Julian Eminson-Ferry said: "It can't be stressed enough how dangerous Jason Spence's decision to have and store these items in his home was.

"Both the firearms discovered in his garage were viable and therefore deadly weapons.

"If that wasn't bad enough, he compounded this danger further still by holding four sets of different ammunition and a silencer in the same bag.

"Whatever his motivations were for having this haul of weapons, he put others around him at risk of harm with his actions and deserves the prison sentence he's received."