A man who was found with a Russian gun that was used in a shooting in Leicester has been jailed.
York Street, just off Granby Street in Leicester, was closed on Sunday, July 8, after a bullet hit the ground near someone’s feet.
Leicestershire Police never recovered the weapon that was used in the incident but on Tuesday, October 9, West Midlands Police stopped a van in Moseley and arrested Johid Ali (23), of Thomas Street, Aston, who had a weapon.
The Russian made self-loading pistol was found to be the same gun used in Leicester city centre.
The court heard armed police had carried out the arrest of Ali, who had been with two men in a Mercedes Sprinter van and gave a false name to officers during the arrest.
As well as finding the gun in a bag, they found two bullets.
Matthew Barnes, prosecuting, said the weapon was later successfully test fired and that the two recovered bullets were found to be viable ammunition for the gun.
In passing sentence Judge Paul Farrer QC, said the weapon had originally been a blank firing gun which had been modified to fire nine millimetre bullets.
He said “This was a potentially deadly weapon with suitable ammunition.
“It was you that transported this gun across Birmingham in the middle of the afternoon.”
He said Ali had not revealed what his intention was but said: “The clear inference is that the gun was to be used for serious crime of some sort.”
He said the incident in Leicester could have easily led to someone being killed or hurt by the weapon.
He said: "On July 8 it was fired in a city centre. It was fired at that time at an unidentified man.
“There were other members of the public in the vicinity.
“It seems that no injury was caused. Eye witnesses saw dust thrown up at the feet of the man showing this was, in effect, a near miss.
“Make no mistake guns kill, maim, terrorise and intimidate. That is why criminals want them and why courts will inevitably treat offences such as this with real gravity.”
More about crime in Leicester
Mohammed Hafeez, defending, said Ali had only had the pistol for a short period of time and that there was genuine remorse.
The judge said he accepted Ali had not been involved in the Leicester incident, that he had only been in possession of the gun for two days and had been threatened.
Ali, who had previously admitted possessing a firearm and ammunition, was jailed for five years this week at Birmingham Crown Court .
A man was charged with attempted murder in connection with the York Street incident and is awaiting his next court hearing.
