A drug dealer who claimed he found a gun by a canal has been jailed after police discovered the firearm inside a sock during a raid on an industrial estate. David Finney, 54, was spotted by officers carrying a dark bag between two containers at the Sankey Valley Industrial Estate in Newton-le-Willows.
Arrest and Search
When Finney attempted to drive away in his Mercedes, police moved in and searched him. Inside the bag, they found large quantities of class A drugs, a gun, and dozens of rounds of viable ammunition. Finney's own lawyer admitted on Friday that the "family man" had been stupid, while a Liverpool Crown Court judge told him: "Firearms are of grave concern to society. They maim, kill and further the commission of other offences. Too many weapons are available, carried and used with devastating effect."
Details of the Find
Prosecutor Hannah Darling told the court that officers saw Finney exit his white Mercedes at the industrial estate on February 24 this year. They observed him moving between two lockups holding a dark bag. When he tried to leave, officers arrested him and began a search. In the second container, they found a black bag containing a large amount of brown and white powder. The court heard there was 375g of cocaine with an 86% purity, with a street value between £15,000 and £26,250, and just over a kilo of heroin with a purity between 31% and 53%, worth between £46,716 and £70,075.
Officers also found a sock containing a loaded revolver. The firearm was a silver Belgian Bulldog gate-loading revolver with a barrel less than 60cm in length. Inside were three rounds of .38 ammunition, two of which were viable. Additionally, there were four loose rounds and 76 rounds of .45 calibre ammunition.
Finney's Explanation
In interview, Finney admitted he had a £10,000 drug debt and was selling drugs to pay it off. He claimed he found the gun "down by the canal a few years ago" and said it had never been fired or loaded, though he admitted to cleaning it. Finney, of Seath Avenue in St Helens, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine and heroin, possession of a firearm, and two counts of possession of ammunition for a firearm without a certificate.
Finney appeared in court via video link from HMP Liverpool and had eight previous convictions for 14 offences, including a 40-month sentence for possession with intent to supply cocaine.
Mitigation and Sentence
In mitigation, Philip Tully, defending, said the evidence of Finney's involvement came from "admissions in interviews" and that there was no evidence the firearm had been used for criminality. He added: "The gun was not in a condition when found that it could be discharged. I accept later when examined it was discharged but a statement from a police officer who was asked to come out and make the weapon safe at the scene said there were three loaded rounds, but he could not make it safe because of the condition of the weapon."
Mr Tully described Finney as a "family man" with good references and a good work record, who is a "model prisoner" helping vulnerable people in prison. He acknowledged Finney's "genuine remorse" and that he "understands he will pay a high price for his stupidity."
Judge Garrett Byrne sentenced Finney to five years for the drugs offences and five years for the firearm and ammunition offences, totalling 10 years' imprisonment. The judge also confirmed that proceeds of crime proceedings would follow to recover Finney's illicit profits.
