South Yorkshire man caught with a firearm after a row with his partner is jailed

Sheffield Crown Court heard on April 27 how Anthony Wright, aged 29, of Woodside Walk, Munsbrough, Rotherham, had been approached by police after he had an argument with his partner and after struggling with an officer he was later found with a firearm in a bag.

Prosecuting barrister Laura Marshall said that police had initially been called after Wright had an argument with his partner in February and as efforts were made to handcuff him he struggled with a special constable who ended up with a knee injury.

Ms Marshall added: “Police officers were able to follow the defendant and caught up with him very quickly. He had with him a bag and that bag was searched and found within that is the weapon.”

The court heard that the weapon had originally been a blank-firing pistol but it had been converted to allow it to discharge projectiles and there were blank cartridges found in a magazine.

Wright told police he had only had the firearm for three days during a time when he was working with youths to prevent them taking the same path he had taken in life and he had intended to dispose of the weapon.

The defendant, who has previous convictions including possessing an imitation firearm, pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker, possessing a prohibited firearm, and to possessing a firearm and ammunition when he was previously prohibited from doing so.

Nicholas Flanagan, defending, said: “He through me puts forward to the court that it was a foolhardy decision he made. There is no evidence this weapon was used in the perpetration of a crime or brandished as such.”

Mr Flanagan added that Wright, who has mental health difficulties, had a hard start in life but he has made efforts to live a law-abiding life undertaking two jobs and supporting his partner and child.

Judge Peter Kelson QC who sentenced Wright to five years of custody told him: “You had this firearm. It was loaded with a ball bearing. It was capable of firing a projectile.”