Library image: Maidstone Crown Court
A London man who hid a lethal weapon in his sock as he was searched by police in Maidstone has been jailed. Daniel Bryan, from Eltham was sentenced after a jury found him guilty of a firearms offence that took place on 30 July 2024.
Patrols were alerted to a suspicious car travelling from Brixton into Kent in the early hours and tracked it to premises in Ashford Road, Maidstone. The vehicle came to a stop and the two occupants – one of whom was Bryan – were detained.
During a search officers located a suspected firearm tucked into Bryan’s sock, under his jogging bottoms. The weapon was seized and Bryan was arrested. Subsequent tests confirmed the weapon to be a modified starter pistol, capable of firing live ammunition and Bryan, 30, was later charged with possession of a prohibited firearm.
He pleaded not guilty to the indictment and was convicted following a trial at Maidstone Crown Court. On Friday 31 January 2025, Bryan was sentenced to six and a half years in prison.
Detective Constable Stuart Drakeley said:
‘The starter pistol Bryan had in his possession had been deliberately adapted to become a dangerous weapon and could have caused a fatal injury if used during a violent crime. Bryan had no lawful reason to have it with him when he was stopped by officers, and it is right that he now is behind bars.
‘There is no place for unlicensed firearms on the streets of Kent and our patrols will continue to target those who fail to abide by the law. Those we detain can expect a lengthy prison sentence.’