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| Life sentence for gun factory man | Life sentence for gun factory man |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A 34-year-old man who turned replica guns into live weapons connected to more than 50 shootings, including eight murders, has been jailed for life. | A 34-year-old man who turned replica guns into live weapons connected to more than 50 shootings, including eight murders, has been jailed for life. |
| Grant Wilkinson was convicted of seven offences of converting and supplying firearms, including one linked to the murder of Pc Sharon Beshenivsky. | Grant Wilkinson was convicted of seven offences of converting and supplying firearms, including one linked to the murder of Pc Sharon Beshenivsky. |
| Wilkinson, of no fixed abode, adapted replica Mac-10 sub-machineguns in a shed in Three Mile Cross, near Reading. | Wilkinson, of no fixed abode, adapted replica Mac-10 sub-machineguns in a shed in Three Mile Cross, near Reading. |
| He was sentenced to a minimum term of 11 years at Reading Crown Court. | He was sentenced to a minimum term of 11 years at Reading Crown Court. |
| Co-defendant Gary Lewis, 38, of Bourne End, Buckinghamshire, was cleared of all charges. | Co-defendant Gary Lewis, 38, of Bourne End, Buckinghamshire, was cleared of all charges. |
| Regrettably but doubtlessly, the roll call of death and serious injury will continue to rise Judge Zoe Smith | Regrettably but doubtlessly, the roll call of death and serious injury will continue to rise Judge Zoe Smith |
| Wilkinson was found guilty of conspiracy to convert imitation firearms, conspiracy to sell or transfer firearms, conspiracy to sell or transfer ammunition, two counts of possession of firearms with intent to endanger life, and two counts of possession of ammunition with intent to endanger life. | |
| Two charges of possessing a prohibited weapon were dropped. | Two charges of possessing a prohibited weapon were dropped. |
| He had denied the charges, claiming in his defence that he was working for a man called Kevin Danaher, who was murdered in May 2006. | He had denied the charges, claiming in his defence that he was working for a man called Kevin Danaher, who was murdered in May 2006. |
| But the jury at his trial was told that Wilkinson, a self-taught gunsmith, ran a weapons "factory" on a "commercial scale" seldom seen in Britain. | But the jury at his trial was told that Wilkinson, a self-taught gunsmith, ran a weapons "factory" on a "commercial scale" seldom seen in Britain. |
| Eight murders linked to factory | Eight murders linked to factory |
| Passing sentence Judge Zoe Smith, said: "The scale of this criminal enterprise is unprecedented in this country. | |
| "The roll call of deaths and injuries is horrific. | "The roll call of deaths and injuries is horrific. |
| "Some 30 to 40 of these weapons are still unaccounted for, and regrettably but doubtlessly, the roll call of death and serious injury will continue to rise." | "Some 30 to 40 of these weapons are still unaccounted for, and regrettably but doubtlessly, the roll call of death and serious injury will continue to rise." |
| During the trial, jurors heard more than 50 shootings in London, Birmingham and Manchester were linked to the guns Wilkinson converted and sold. | During the trial, jurors heard more than 50 shootings in London, Birmingham and Manchester were linked to the guns Wilkinson converted and sold. |
| One of the guns was linked to an armed robbery in Bradford, which led to the death of 38-year-old Pc Sharon Beshenivsky in 2005 - although it was not the murder weapon. | One of the guns was linked to an armed robbery in Bradford, which led to the death of 38-year-old Pc Sharon Beshenivsky in 2005 - although it was not the murder weapon. |
| The guns Wilkinson converted were also used in the murder of 15-year-old Michael Dosunmu as he slept at home in Peckham, south-east London, in February 2007, and the murder of music producer Richard Holmes in Chingford, Essex, in November 2005. | The guns Wilkinson converted were also used in the murder of 15-year-old Michael Dosunmu as he slept at home in Peckham, south-east London, in February 2007, and the murder of music producer Richard Holmes in Chingford, Essex, in November 2005. |
| Neighbour Tony Humphreys shows the BBC round a shed where the guns were tested | |
| Police said a ninth killing in Limehouse, east London, in July, was also being linked to the gun factory. | Police said a ninth killing in Limehouse, east London, in July, was also being linked to the gun factory. |
| Wilkinson had a history of crime with previous convictions dating back to 1995. | Wilkinson had a history of crime with previous convictions dating back to 1995. |
| In 1996 he was jailed at Aylesbury Crown Court for four year for inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent. | In 1996 he was jailed at Aylesbury Crown Court for four year for inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent. |
Do | Then at Reading Crown Court in 2002, he received another three years in prison for possession of drugs with intent to supply. />Do you collect model guns? What stemmed your interest in model gun collecting? Send us your stories by completing the form below. |
| In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |