Soldier who acted as a Mr Fix in an arms plot to supply guns to the Scottish underworld is jailed for eight years

Private William Dempsey, 29, was 'facilitator' in the £3,500 deal



Caught transporting weapons from England to Scotland



His three accomplices have also been sent to prison



Jailed: Private William Demspey has been sentenced to eight years in prison for his role in the arms plot

A British soldier who acted as a Mr Fix in an arms plot to supply firearms to the Scottish underworld has been jailed for eight years.

Private William Dempsey was a 'facilitator' in a £3,500 deal to sell a Uzi sub-machine gun - which can fire 600 rounds a minute - a sawn-off shotgun and other guns, crossbows and ammunition to criminals in Scotland.



He used his bedroom at Howe Army Barracks in Canterbury, Kent, as a secret arsenal to store a series of weapons, a court heard.



The 29-year-old was caught after displaying 'somewhat bizarre behaviour' while carrying a stash of firearms in two military camouflage bags on a Glasgow-bound train in August last year.



Dempsey - who was serving with the 5th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland- had collected the weapons from accomplice James Ashdown. They were destined for underworld figure Barry Kelly and his 'lieutenant' Craig Colquhoun.



However, the 'befuddled' soldier abandoned the train at Carlisle railway station in Cumbria after telling rail staff he was being followed by police and claiming there were snipers at the station.



He then asked two cleaners to look after the bags, before running off, Liverpool Crown Court heard.



'Mr Fix': The 29-year-old was a 'facilitator' in a £3,500 deal to sell a Uzi sub-machine gun - which can fire 600 rounds a minute - a sawn-off shotgun and other guns, crossbows and ammunition to criminals in Scotland

Storage: He used his bedroom at Howe Army Barracks in Canterbury, Kent, as a secret arsenal to store a series of weapons and ammunition, Liverpool Crown Court heard Plot: Dempsey- who was serving with the 5th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland - had collected the firearms from accomplice James Ashdown. They were destined for underworld figure Barry Kelly and his 'lieutenant' Craig Colquhoun The cleaners alerted the British Transport Police, who searched the bags and discovered the Uzi sub-machine gun with silencer, a sawn-off 12 bore double barrel shotgun and a 6.35mm handgun.

They also seized 136 cartridges for the weapons and a further 58 revolver cartridges.

Officers then searched his room at his barracks, 300 miles away, and found a handgun-shaped crossbow, several metal tipped arrows and large military batteries.



A further search of Dempsey's bedroom at his parents’ home in Paisley uncovered a small block of cannabis resin, while analysis of his mobile phone revealed messages about large cash payments for 'toys'.



'Befuddled': Dempsey abandoned the train at Carlisle railway station in Cumbria after telling rail staff he was being followed by police and claiming there were snipers at the station

Discovery: Police seized 136 cartridges for the weapons and a further 58 revolver cartridges

None of the weapons had come from the Ministry of Defence armoury, the court heard.



Dempsey, who was arrested on a rail viaduct near Carlisle station, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply firearms and ammunition from England to Scotland. He was jailed for eight years.



On the day before the seizure, Colquhoun was discovered to have paid £3,500 into Dempsey’s bank account.

This led to officers arresting Kelly, Ashdown and Colquhoun - with analysis of the criminals' mobile phones cementing links between the four.



Weapons: Officers then searched his room at his barracks, 300 miles away, and found a handgun-shaped crossbow, several metal tipped arrows and large military batteries

Evidence: None of the weapons had come from the Ministry of Defence armoury, the court heard

Kelly, 34, was revealed to be the 'purchaser' in the plot - secretly storing more than £20,000 in his loft at home in Darvel, Ayrshir.

Colquhoun, 28, from Barrhead, near Glasgow, was his 'right-hand man and played an important role in the sale and purchase of firearms', the court heard.

The pair were both found guilty of firearms offences and jailed for nine and seven years respectively.



Ashdown, 32, who has no fixed address, was revealed to have supplied the firearms.



Underworld figures: Barry Kelly, left, and Craig Colquhoun, were jailed for nine and seven years respectively



He pleaded guilty to firearms offences and was jailed for 11 years.

He also received an additional three years for possession and intent to supply cocaine in a separate case.

Supplier: James Ashdown, 32, who was revealed to have supplied the firearms, was jailed for eight years

Fran Gough, prosecuting, said: 'James Ashdown was the source of the weaponry, William Dempsey was the courier, Barry Kelly was the purchaser, whilst Craig Colquhoun was Kelly’s right hand man.

'These dangerous individuals and their weapons were intercepted and have now both been removed from the streets where they can pose no further risk.

'The CPS would like to reassure the public that we will robustly prosecute those who seek to supply deadly weapons into the communities of the UK.'

After the case, Detective Chief Inspector Simon Taylor, of the British Transport Police, said: 'These four clearly intended to put illegal firearms on to the streets of Scotland and it is a fair assumption that they would have been used to commit criminal acts or to intimidate people.

'In uncovering and unravelling the complex conspiracy we have taken this potential threat out of circulation and ensured the conviction of four dangerous men.