Blackpool Airport gun man escapes jail
26.07.08
A man who was caught trying to bring a gun and ammunition in to the UK in his luggage at Blackpool Airport has avoided jail, the Gazette reports. Former bank manager Karl Crookall , who is recovering from a serious mortorbike accident, was branded ‘a victim of his own stupidity’ by a judge at Preston Crown Court on Thursday.
The 40-year-old attempted to bring the F92-self loading replica pistol back into the UK on a Ryanair flight to Blackpool from Girona, after buying it from a shop in Spain. But security officers at the airport dicovered the gun and 49 rounds of blank cartridges in his hand luggage. Mr Crookall, who was with his wife and young son, was arrested immediately.
In an interview with police, Mr Crookall, who legally held a firearms licence but has since given it up, said he did not realise he could not bring the weapon into Britain and did not think he had done anything wrong.
In sentencing him to 28 days in prison, suspended for 12 months, Judge Stuart Baker said: ‘This was potentially a very serious case and had the circumstances been any different you may be facing an immediate custodial sentence. I'm prepared to sentence you on the basis that, as your defence said, you seem to have been a victim of your own stupidity.’
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