Gunman jailed after weapon found buried in rhubarb pot

Alfie Larkin was sentenced to 13 years after his gun was found buried in a plant pot containing rhubarb

A gunman has been sentenced to 13 years in prison after his weapon was found buried under rhubarb and set in concrete.

Alfie Larkin, 24, from London, was found guilty of possessing a firearm and intending to cause fear of violence at Cardiff Crown Court.

At about 21:45 GMT on 12 January 2019, he fired 10 bullets at a house and motorhome in Greenway Road, Cardiff.

The court heard this was revenge for being stabbed in the hand in 2018.

Friend Rachel Crowthers hid the weapon in a block of concrete at the bottom of a rhubarb plant pot.

The still-loaded weapon had been used in a 2019 shooting

When the pot was X-rayed at the University Hospital of Wales, a loaded semi-automatic pistol with five bullets in the magazine was revealed.

The pistol was removed from the cement and ballistic tests showed it was the gun used in the 2019 shooting.

Larkin pleaded guilty to two counts of supplying Class A drugs and supplying Class B drugs. He denied possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear, but was convicted after trial.

He was sentenced to eight years for the firearm offences and five years for drugs offences, to be served consecutively, and given a four-year extended licence upon his release from prison.

The gun was found after the rhubarb pot was X-rayed at the Cardiff's University Hospital of Wales

Crowthers, 22, from Caerphilly, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and perverting the course of justice - she is due to be sentenced on 7 June.

Det Ch Insp Lloyd Williams, of South Wales Police, said: "It was very fortunate that nobody was seriously injured or worse as a result of this incident.

"Larkin is a manipulative individual who, instead of continuing his university education, is now beginning a lengthy prison sentence."

Police smashed open the concrete to retrieve the weapon