Manchester teen jailed for possessing converted imitation firearm in Trafford

A teenager from Wythenshawe has been sentenced to over three years in jail after discarding a loaded firearm after being spotted acting suspiciously by police in Sale last December.

 

Keaton Winder (08/03/2003), of Swanage Avenue, was given three years and seven days imprisonment at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court yesterday (Thursday 3 June) after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition, and a breach of his bail conditions.

 

The court heard how Winder was seen by officers responding to reports of a COVID breach on Marsland Road when he became reluctant to engage with police and was ultimately stopped and searched.

 

When officers went to search his man bag, Winders began to try and run away before being located a short time later on nearby Conway Road.

 

No longer with his man bag, Winder refused to disclose where he had thrown it and a police dog later discovered it in the back garden of an address on Warbreck Grove.

 

In the bag a firearm, later established as a converted top-venting imitation gun, was found along with three rounds of 9mm ammunition.

 

Winder was taken to custody where he responded with no comment throughout before being charged with possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition.

 

He was yesterday sentenced to three years for the firearm offence to run concurrently with a two year sentence for the possession of ammunition. He was given an extra week in custody for breaching the conditions of his bail.

 

Detective Constable Dave Jarvis, of GMP Trafford's Challenger Team, said: "Converted imitation firearms are something we are increasingly seeing criminals use and verdicts like this demonstrate that if you are found in possession of such a weapon then you will be punished.

 

"Winder was unable to evade the attention of responding officers that night who did an excellent job in acting on their suspicions before our police dog ultimately sniffed out the firearm that Winder was trying, and failed, to hide.

 

"Had Winder not been a juvenile when he was pulled up for this offence then he could have been looking at even longer in jail, and this is a reminder to anyone out there who thinks it's acceptable to have such firearms because they look like legal imitation guns that it absolutely isn’t and we will ensure that you are taken from the streets."

 

Anyone with information or concerns should contact police online, if able, via www.gmp.police.uk, or 101. Always call 999 in an emergency.

 

Details can be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.