Judge tells South Yorkshire gunman he will serve his longest jail sentence yet
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Sheffield Crown Court heard on October 29 how Glyn Hopewell, aged 35, of The Lanes, Rotherham, was found by police with the weapon and class A drugs after they searched a property in Rotherham.
Ben Campbell, prosecuting, said: “Police officers executed a search warrant at Furnival Way, Whiston, Rotherham, where he was present and they found the barrel of a firearm and elsewhere in the property they found the stock section of the gun as well as cocaine and heroin.”
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Hide AdShotgun cartridges were found in a bedroom, the kitchen and in a vehicle, according to Mr Campbell.
Mr Campbell added the gun’s hammer was broken and the barrel had been sawn off but it was in a working condition.
The court heard a DNA profile from the hammer showed a match with Hopewell and to a lesser extent there was a match with the barrel.
Hopewell, who has previous convictions, pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited firearm after the police raid in May, and admitted two counts of possessing class A drugs.
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Hide AdPeter Byrne, defending, said Hopewell, who has been remanded in custody, does not have anything among his previous convictions indicating prior involvement with firearms.
Judge Michael Slater told Hopewell: “I very much bear in mind you will be serving the longest sentence you have ever served and the difficult circumstances due to the pandemic.”
He sentenced Hopewell to five years of custody.