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Jail for Waterloo man who had sawn-off shotgun under the bed

London SE1 website team

A 40-year-old man who was arrested in an armed police raid at Waterloo's Quentin House has been sentenced to five years in jail for possession of a sawn-off shotgun and possession with intent to supply 2 oz of cocaine worth £5000.

Gun
The gun found at Quentin House in Waterloo

Unemployed David Vowls, 40, of Quentin House in Waterloo was sentenced at the Inner London Crown Court on Thursday.

35-year-old Paul Jones of Stopher House in Webber Street was also fined £300 on Wednesday in a related offence, for possession of 2g of cocaine.

David Vowls was arrested for possession of the gun on Tuesday 29 July when officers from the Met's central task force executed a firearms search warrant at his home address.

Paul Jones was arrested at the same time and pleaded guilty to possession of 2 grams of cocaine at Camberwell Green Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Specialist firearms officers assisted in the raid where in total five suspects were detained. As police were entering the property two paper wraps and a cling film wrap, all of cocaine, were thrown from a rear window and recovered.

Also found on the outside of a window ledge was a black plastic sack containing a hard substance, now identified as cocaine. A set of electronic scales was also found in the property.

Officers searched the building and clearly visible in the front bedroom, sticking out from under the bed, was the handle of a reconstituted sawn off single barrelled shotgun. On closer inspection, the weapon appeared to be in full working order, with its barrel sawn off to approximately 14 inches. Next to the weapon was a left-handed black glove. The weapon is designed for use with 12g/12 bore shotgun cartridge shells.

As the search continued officers went on to find five shotgun cartridges in the lounge, three of which were found next to a right hand glove which matched the left hand one recovered next to the gun.

During interview Vowls read a prepared statement fully admitting possession of the shotgun and his attempt to run up the stairs and hide the weapon when police entered the address. He was charged and remanded in custody for possession of a prohibited weapon contrary to section 5 of the Firearms Act and possession of section 1 ammunition.

"This successful intervention has removed a dangerous weapon with ammunition from the criminal fraternity in South London," says DC Simon Clementson.

"I hope that today's sentencing serves as a deterrent to anyone thinking about getting involved with drug and firearms possession."

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