A Lewisham woman, who took pictures of herself posing with an AK-47 between her legs, has been jailed after transporting firearms to be sold to the criminal underworld.
Four men and a woman were sentenced to a total of 45 years in prison, for illegally manufacturing and supplying firearms and ammunition over a six-month period.
Caitlin Adams, 25, was handed a 10-year sentence after a jury found her guilty of conspiracy to transfer prohibited weapons.
She worked alongside her prisoner boyfriend Ishmael Brown to collect deactivated weapons and transport them to the gang's workshop where they were illegally reactivated before being sold on.
A sixth gang-member, 28-year-old Aaron Shane Murray, had his sentencing adjourned until March after pleading guilty to conspiracy to transfer prohibited weapons.
TOP STORIES
Caitlin Adams, posing with an AK-47 between her legs, and Aaron Murray showing off another assault rifle.
The police investigation began when Aaron Shane Murray and Uzair Patel were stopped in a taxi in Bishops Avenue, Newham, on June 16 of last year.
They were both arrested after officers recovered a reactivated 9mm pistol from the car’s footwell.
Officers discovered Murray was buying deactivated weapons and reactivating that at a workshop owned by Bart Pawlowski, a metalworker and former solider in the Polish army.
Police then identified two more gang members – Brown, a prisoner at HMP Rochester, and his girlfriend Adams.
Using a mobile from his cell, Brown was responsible for sourcing deactivated weapons and organising their sale to the criminal underworld.
Adams would collect the deactivated weapons, before delivering them to the workshop.
Between January and June last year, the group sourced more than 40 firearms – including an AK-47 style assault rifle - eight of which have been recovered by the police.
Another prisoner at HMP Rochester, Ehsen Abdul-Razak, was also using an illicit mobile phone from his cell to assist Brown in organising the sale of the firearm to Patel.
DC Claire Gentles, from the trident and area crime command, said: "The firearms and ammunition this gang converted had the potential to cause great harm on the streets of London and there is no doubt that the Capital is a safer place as a result of the network being dismantled.
“The sentencing of Caitlin Adams should serve as a warning to others of the grave consequences of storing and transporting guns for others."
GUILTY: (Top L-R) Uzair Patel, Caitlin Adams, Aaron Murray, (bottom L-R) Ishmael Brown, Ehsen Abdul-Razak and Bart Pawlowski.
Detective Inspector James Hale added: "This was a complex investigation targeting criminals both inside and outside of prison as part of the Met’s fight against gang and gun crime.
“I would like to take this opportunity to urge anyone with knowledge of the whereabouts of any of the outstanding weapons to contact police."
- Murray, 28, of Witley Point, Wandsworth, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transfer prohibited weapons
- Ishmael Brown, 26, of HMP Rochester, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transfer prohibited weapons and was sentenced to 12 years
- Bart Pawlowski, 42, of Thornsett Road, Wandsworth, was found guilty of conspiracy to transfer prohibited weapons and was sentenced to 13 years
- Caitlin Adams, 25, of Campshill Road, Lewisham, was found guilty of conspiracy to transfer prohibited weapons and was sentenced to 10 years
- Uzair Patel, 28, of Abbey Road, Newham, pleaded guilty to possession of a prohibited weapon and sentenced to five years
- Ehsen Abdul-Razak, 19, of HMP Rochester, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transfer prohibited weapons and was sentenced to five years.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel