By Phil Coleman

Last updated at 15:14, Wednesday, 23 January 2013

A dad arrested with a gun after he got off a coach has been jailed for four years.

Darren Cherry

Darren Cherry, 37, from Carlisle, was picked up by police as he left a National Express coach in Liverpool on October 16, Liverpool Crown Court heard.

He was carrying a supermarket bag which contained clothing, bed linen and a pistol wrapped in six layers of packaging. Forensic scientists found the weapon was an Army issue Webley revolver.

The weapon was in full working order, said Joanne Maxwell, prosecuting.

Cherry, of Marks Avenue, Raffles, admitted travelling from his home to Manchester and catching the bus to Liverpool, claiming that he was going to visit his daughter.

Jailing Cherry, who admitted possessing a prohibited weapon, Judge Mark Brown told him: “You are clearly an individual who has close criminal contacts and there is no doubt in my mind that you went into this enterprise with your eyes fully open.”

Neil Gunn, defending, said that Cherry, who had committed 54 previous offences, has a long-standing heroin addiction but was seeking to address that problem.

Cherry had denied knowing that the bag contained a gun but he said he knew it was something illegal and had been put under pressure into transporting it.

Just three months before Cherry was arrested, police in Liverpool launched a crackdown on gun and gang crime.

Chief Superintendent Jon Ward, area commander for Liverpool North, said that Merseyside Police were committed to tackling gun and gang related crime.

He said: “I want the decent people of Liverpool and Merseyside to know that Merseyside Police, working with our partners, is committed to reducing gun crime and making the streets safer for everyone.

“Working together we can make a difference.

“And I would appeal to anyone who has any information about those involved in gun crime on our streets to come forward.

“We will act on all information received.”

First published at 15:11, Wednesday, 23 January 2013
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk