Ex-Army reservist jailed for buying gun on dark web

Andrew Williams took delivery of a Glock 19 and bullets at his home in the Scottish Borders

A former Army reservist who bought a gun and ammunition from the dark web to "protect" his family has been jailed for five years.

Andrew Williams, 48, took delivery of the Glock 19 and 50 rounds of bullets at his home in Hawick in the Borders.

However, UK authorities were alerted after it was spotted by an agent inspecting packages in the US and he was arrested the day it was delivered.

Williams was jailed by Lord Tyre at the High Court in Edinburgh.

The court was told how armed police had turned up at his flat in Myreslaw Court in June last year.

Advocate depute Scott McKenzie said he was seen to be wearing a pair of white gloves - he was instructed to take them off and did.

The prosecutor said: "The accused lifted his T-shirt to show he was not armed and told them: 'It's in there'."

Lord Tyre told Williams that he would have to impose an automatic five-year sentence on him.

"These items could have caused death or serious injury if used," he said.

'Wrong people'

Williams admitted possessing a firearm and ammunition in breach of firearms legislation at proceedings earlier this year.

Sentence had been deferred for the court to obtain reports.

The first offender admitted purchasing the prohibited handgun - which was found to be in good condition and good working order - in June last year, and buying the ammunition without a firearms certificate.

The offence carries a minimum penalty of five years imprisonment.

Defence counsel Tony Lenehan KC said Williams had been using recreational drugs and had become concerned there was a threat to him and his family posed by a man in England before he ordered the gun.

Mr Lenehan's place was taken by advocate Lorenzo Alonzi at the sentencing hearing and he told the court his client had developed mental health problems due to drugs.

"He was in a spiral," he said. "He was meeting the wrong kind of people.

"A rewarding career in nursing is no longer available to him."