Kendal shotgun man told could face jail (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Kendal shotgun man told could face jail

3:39pm Tuesday 9th February 2010

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

A KENDAL man who got a sawn-off shotgun to help retrieve £80,000 he had lost in a scam has been told he could face jail.

Adrian Crompton, 50, of Milnthorpe Road, admitted possessing the double-barreled shotgun, which had been shortened to a length of 15 inches, at his South Lakeland Magistrates’ Court hearing.

The court heard Crompton had lost the money - gained by remortgaging his home - to a group of Asian men who had convinced him they could make him more by reinvesting the cash.

Lisa O’Loughlan, prosecuting, said Crompton had been given the weapon by an aquaintance after deciding to confront the conmen. However, the gun was discovered after detectives were tipped off.

“The police received information and Crompton was asked if he had a shotgun,” she said. “He said that he did and that he did not have a certificate for it. The officers found the double-barrelled shotgun found in a cupboard in his bathroom. They also found ammunition elsewhere in the house.

“The idea was to challenge the males to try to recover the money, but the idea was shortlived as he decided against challenging the men because he had no knowledge of guns.”

Nicolas Renshaw, mitigating, said: “I can’t believe he has been so stupid. First of all there is this scam where they are assisting the remortgaging of a property on a credit valuation. The idea is that the money is given back to be reinvested and a substantial sum would be given back to the defendant. It doesn’t work, we know that. He realises that he has been stupid. He found himself £80,000 out of pocket and with a higher mortgage.”

Mr Renshaw said aquaintences of Crompton knew about the problem and options were discussed and someone had mentioned a shotgun.

“He didn’t take it seriously at first but a short time later a shotgun was given to him,” said Mr Renshaw. “He never had any intention of using it. He took it to his home and stored it away from the bullets. It is an old hammer action gun. It is almost an antique and is probably more dangerous to the person holding it.

“He is a very silly man doing very silly things.”

However, Jonathan Brook, chairman of magistrates at the Burneside Road court, warned Crompton that he could spend time behind bars for possessing the firearm.

“This was a sawn-off shotgun and sawn-off shotguns are only intended for injury or death,” he said.

The hearing was adjourned until March 2 for an all-options report to be completed by the probation service.

Crompton was released on bail with a condition to appear at Kendal Police Station every Wednesday morning.

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)