Ryan Molloy, a 20-year-old man from Stamford Close, Toothill, has been sentenced to five years in a young offenders institution for firearm offences.
The sentencing took place yesterday at Swindon Crown Court, where Molloy was convicted of possession of a prohibited weapon and possession of ammunition without a certificate.
The charges stem from an incident on 18th September 2023, when police executed a warrant at a property on Edington Close. During the operation, three men fled the scene, and a discarded bag was later found in a neighbour’s garden. Inside the bag was a firearm, which forensic investigations revealed to bear Molloy’s fingerprints.
In addition to his sentence, Molloy was ordered to pay a £228 surcharge. The seized firearm and ammunition will now be destroyed.
Detective Constable Anna McCormack commented on the case, stating, “A bag containing a firearm was left in a residential garden where anyone could have found it. Such illegal firearms have no place in Swindon and Wiltshire. They often end up in the hands of organised criminals, who use them to inflict serious violence and instil fear. I am pleased to have removed one from our streets before it was used to fatally or seriously injure someone.”
Wiltshire Police urge anyone who suspects a crime or believes someone is being exploited to contact them on 101, or 999 in emergencies. Reports can also be made anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
