Norfolk grandad, 88, is jailed after 124-year-old loaded shotgun found in his car

Roy Delph, who walks with a stick and is hard of hearing, appeared confused at Norwich Crown Court yesterday and shouted 'What's he on about? I can't hear him' as Judge Nicholas Coleman began to speak.

The pensioner, of Kemps Close, Salters Lode, near Downham Market, pleaded guilty to possession of a loaded firearm in a public place at an earlier hearing.

Delph was in his car on the A122 Downham Market last year when he stopped to talk to a police officer and the loaded shotgun was seen.

He maintained that he did not intend to cause fear of violence, and prosecutors did not contest this.

Caroline Allison, mitigating, said that Delph had been 'tormented' by young people who damaged his property and killed a kitten that he cared for.

She said he posed no threat to the public, had never been in trouble with the law before and the court heard he had the gun to shoot vermin on his land.

No explanation was put forward as to why he had the loaded weapon in his car.

The grandfather, who was conscripted to work in coal mines as a so-called Bevin Boy in the Second World War, lived with his housebound wife and helped to care for her.

He worked for Great Ouse River Authority for 30 years as a construction foreman, and now suffered from ill-health including heart problems, arthritis and hernia, Ms Allison said.

'Beneath his loud outbursts he's soft at heart and cares deeply for his wife of 48 years and a number of animals including cats that he feeds daily on a piece of land he owns,' she said.

She added he held a firearms licence, but since court proceedings began his guns, ammunition and licence had been withdrawn from him.

Delph had owned the 124-year-old shotgun for some 50 years, the court heard.

Ms Allison said that Delph only left his home and fields to fetch a morning paper, read it and feed some cats before returning home.

'He has before been victim to criminal damage and theft by young people from the area and it's for that reason that Mr Delph approached police on this occasion and it's of great sadness that nothing appears to have been done to these young people tormenting this old man,' she said. 'There was one occasion when one of the kittens was kicked and killed by some of the young people.'

She said that he had asked for the RSPCA to investigate the actions of the young people.

The offence to which Delph pleaded guilty carries a minimum sentence of five years in prison, but Judge Nicholas Coleman agreed to reduce this at an earlier hearing.

Sentencing, Judge Coleman accepted that Delph felt 'terrorised' by young people, owned the shotgun lawfully to remove wildlife, did not discharge it on this occasion and did not intend to cause fear of violence.

But he told Delph: 'The gun was loaded and it was found in your car in a public place. There was no excuse for that.

'[Police] found the gun in your car and when asked why the gun was loaded there was no answer to that.

'It was also troubling that the police returned to your house and although you had a firearms certificate the guns were not in a secure place.'

He said Delph had shown a 'brazen disregard of the relevant legislation' and jailed him for two years.

Delph was silent as he was led to the cells.