Man jailed for five and a half years after he left gun in storage unit
Weapon was found when the unit was being cleared out
A man has been jailed for five and a half years for firearm offences after he left a pistol in a storage unit.
Police were contacted in February 2023 following the discovery of a gun and ammunition at a storage container in Southampton.
The container had been rented out by 47-year-old James Robinson, of Telegraph Road in Andover.
Robinson failed to pay for the rental of the unit, prompting the storage company to eventually empty its contents when, amongst the general household items, they discovered a black 9mm Beretta pistol and a separate magazine filled with ammunition.
Forensic work on the weapon showed that Robinson’s DNA was present on the trigger and trigger guard.
Robinson was arrested and in April 2024 he was charged with possession of a firearm and possession of prohibited ammunition.
He denied the offences and the case went to trial on 16 June this year, where the jury found him guilty on both counts. He was sentenced the same day to five and a half years in jail.