Crash men jailed for having firearms

The pursuing traffic officers lost sight of the pair on the A64 after being told to give up the chase for public safety but then came across the Suzuki 1000 cc bike crashed at the side of the inner Ring Road near the junction with New Briggate.

Both those on board had been thrown off but pillion passenger Darren Winstanley was still nearby. Close to the motorcycle the officers found the Mac 10 pistol with a magazine and live 9mm rounds scattered around it.

Police subsequently learned the men had been on their way to a confrontation with others who were said to have threatened Winstanley's girlfriend.

Peter Moulson, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court yesterday 26 cartridges were recovered and the pistol was ready to fire, loaded to the maximum number it could hold.

In daylight a further search of the vicinity uncovered a second firearm, a single-barrelled pump action shotgun hidden under some concrete foundations of the embankment. The 12-bore weapon could hold eight cartridges and five were found inside, so it too was ready to fire.

Also recovered at the scene early on January 23 last year was a crash helmet, which was found to have saliva inside identifying the other rider as Richard William Walker, Winstanley's cousin, who had escaped from the crash scene. The shotgun was hidden along the route he had taken.

When Winstanley was arrested he directed officers to his phone and keys. A draft message was found on the mobile in which he had said his girlfriend's windows had been smashed. There was also a text message to him saying: "Come on empty head, come down when you're ready" and a further entry named the place as the Wykebeck Arms car park, in Selby Road.

"The Crown say he was motivated to perpetrate some revenge of sorts upon those responsible and must have then called Walker to help," Mr Moulson said.

Derek Duffy, for Winstanley, said his girlfriend and family had been threatened and after the damage to windows earlier that night he intended to take the guns only to frighten those responsible.

He said Winstanley was able to access loaded firearms quickly because such weapons were "prevalent and readily available to criminals" in his area.

Winstanley, 39, of Ascot Garth, Seacroft, Leeds, and Walker, 26, of East Park Street, Leeds, were each jailed for seven-and-a-half years after admitting two charges of possessing firearms with intent to cause fear of violence, two charges of possessing prohibited firearms, possessing ammunition without certificate and possessing a firearm when prohibited.

A further 12-month consecutive term was imposed on Winstanley for breaching a previously suspended sentence for the cultivation of cannabis.

Jailing them Judge Stephen Ashurst said: "The reason why both of you were anxious not to be caught became abundantly clear when near to the collision site police recovered not one but two lethal weapons."

He said it was "very disturbing" the "vague and murky" circumstances in which Winstanley could lay his hands on loaded weapons so quickly.

"Decent law abiding people do not behave like that. The fact you had no difficulty gaining immediate access to these guns is an aggravating feature.

He warned: "Those who choose to settle private disputes with weapons will receive heavy punishment."

He commended police officers who helped to take two dangerous weapons out of circulation.