Norwich man had deadly machine gun arsenal in his garage

Firearms including First and Second World War machine guns, rifles and shotguns and ammunition were seized when police carried out a spot-check at the home of Trevor Deary.

The lethal haul at Inman Road in Sprowston was found in a "gun room" without a proper working lock, Norwich Crown Court was told. 

The illegal weapons were discovered when firearms officers and examiners carried out a spot-check (Image: Newsquest)

It included weapons it is illegal to own and others that were not covered by the firearms certificate held by Deary, a registered dealer with a passion for collecting and selling historic weapons. 

Jailing him for five years and three months, Judge Alice Robinson said they were “highly dangerous weapons” that could be lethal in the wrong hands. 

“The collection of these firearms and weapons of historical interest is tempered by the fact you were well aware you should not have them,” she said

“They were kept insecurely and could easily have been stolen.”

Trevor Deary had been a firearms dealer with a passion for historic weapons (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)

Deary, who was told he will serve half his sentence in jail and half on licence, shouted “absolute travesty” as he was led from the dock.

Prosecutor Nicola May had told the court he had behaved “recklessly” in not properly securing guns that tests showed were capable of being fired. 

“This large-scale seizure of guns and ammunition came about when police were carrying out a spot-check on Mr Deary’s address,” she said. 

“It is accepted that he was a registered firearms owner but despite that responsibility he was found in possession of a large number of varied and illegal weapons.

Armed police seized the deadly arsenal from the garage at Deary's home (Image: Newsquest)

“There were more than 100 firearms stored at his address that were largely contained in what is perhaps optimistically called an armoury that had been set up within the garage.”

She said his gun room was in a state of disarray and the lock to the garage did not work properly while his supposedly secure gun room had a single bolt and was open when police swooped on April 26 last year.

Among the illegal weapons seized was a Second World War submachine gun, a rare German machine gun dating back to 1913 and a .22 Mauser bolt-action rifle.

A self-loading blank pistol, which is also illegal to own, was found in the lounge of his home, said Ms May.

Deary pleaded guilty to 10 charges including six of possessing a prohibited weapon and four of possessing firearms without a certificate.

Police tent during the weapons search at Deary's home at Inman Road in Sprowston (Image: Newsquest)

A sentencing hearing on Tuesday heard he had previously been given a suspended sentence for possessing illegal weapons in 1978 and had been banned from being a firearm dealer for five years. 

Andrew Oliver, mitigating, said: “Not one of these firearms that has been seized has been used for criminal purposes and they would never have been while in his possession.

“It is clear from everything he has said that he considered himself a curator for some very rare firearms. 

“He has never lent any of these items out, sold them unlawfully and never had anything stolen from his premises.”  

Armed police swooping on Deary’s unassuming semi-detached house in the quiet residential cul-de-sac stunned neighbours who had no idea his garage contained a huge arsenal of weapons. 

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Daniel Wilson, said: “There is a clear responsibility given to those who hold a firearms licence which Deary failed to uphold.

“His lack of care and attention when in possession of a large number of serious weapons has led to this sentence.

“Norfolk Constabulary continually monitors all licence holders and I hope this case serves as a reminder that those who do not maintain their responsibilities will be held to account.”