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Crime

Boy, 14, pleads guilty of gun possession

19/11/2008

A 14-year-old boy, the youngest person ever arrested for possession of a gun by the Metropolitan police, has pleaded guilty today.

The teen from Lewisham in south London admitted possession of a firearm, silencer and ammunition after being arrested on August 12th this year. He was 13 when the arrest occurred.

A police search following his denial he was hiding anything revealed a machete in the child's bedroom wardrobe, a Baikal automatic and two black metal silencers inside a rucksack and a quantity of professionally made ammunition.

After being pressed the boy admitted he was a member of a gang and that he was holding the gun as a favour on someone else's path.

The 14-year-old admitting to knowing what he had done was wrong and claimed that having realised this, he asked the person concerned, to take the weaponry back, the Met said in a statement.

Detective Chief Inspector Peter Beyer, of the Met's central task force, described the case as "extremely sad and deeply concerning".

"As a proactive unit, we are committed to targeting anyone thought to be in possession of firearms, however not one of my officers wants to come across a child in possession of a live gun," he said.

Carrying or storing a gun, is an extremely dangerous activity. Not only do you risk prosecution, but the second you take possession of that weapon, you put your friends and family at risk from reprisals.

"Having a gun, even if it isn't used in a shooting or crime, will be taken incredibly seriously by the Met police."

Sentencing will take place in January next year.