Former Army sergeant who became a millionaire supplying hundreds of illegal firearms to criminals facing another life sentence for carrying on the business from his prison cell

Ex-Royal Artillery sergeant Paul Alexander served in the Army for 20 years

Set up arms dealing business and lived in luxury home in Essex

Originally arrested in 2008 after shooting of Rhys Jones in Liverpool

Schoolboy shot by gang member using weapons Alexander supplied



Jailed indefinitely for making 'assassin kits' and weapons linked to 28 crimes

Police believe his guns used in hundreds of robberies and killings

Security at HMP Swaleside so 'lax' that he could run racket from cell

Mobile phones available to convicts and he was allowed gun magazines

Mastermind: Former Army sergeant Paul Alexander, 58, who became a millionaire supplying hundreds of illegal firearms to criminals is facing another life sentence for continuing the business from prison

A former Army sergeant who became a millionaire supplying hundreds of illegal firearms to criminals is facing another life sentence for continuing the business from his prison cell.

Paul Alexander, 58, masterminded the operation from his cell at HMP Swaleside in Kent for 10 months with the help of fellow inmates, friends and family, including his wife and stepdaughter.

Alexander, who served his country for 20 years with the Royal Artillery, was already part way through a life sentence after he was caught selling 'assassin kits' - black plastic briefcases containing a handgun, magazine, cartridges and silencer - to gangs for £1,500 a time.

Police believe the guns Alexander supplied have been used in hundreds of robberies and killings.

His DNA was found on weapons supplied to the Croxteth Crew, who shot dead 11-year-old Liverpool schoolboy Rhys Jones in August 2007.

His fingerprints were also found on weapons used in another murder and four attempted murders. Links to guns provided by Alexander were further found in gangland shootings in Manchester, Birmingham, Nottingham, Derby and Luton.

Remarkably, Alexander, who prior to his arrest had lived a life of luxury in a £2.5m farmhouse complete with tennis courts and swimming pool set in four acres in the village of Bardfield Saling, Essex , was still allowed access to gun magazines in prison.

A list of suppliers names and addresses was also found in his cell.

Prosecutor Victor Temple QC told Woolwich Crown Court that Alexander picked up where he left off when he met 'right-hand man' Carl Gordon, 27, who was serving life for murder, in Swaleside, in 2011.

The pair took advantage of the 'lax' security systems in place at the category B prison, which Skull Cracker Michael Wheatley escaped from last month, to smuggle in phones so they could contact arms suppliers.

Accomplice: Alexander met 'right-hand man' Carl Gordon (left), 27, in prison, while wife Caroline Hunter-Mann-Purdy (right) was also involved in the scheme



The weapons, which are not illegal to buy if they do not fire, were then converted into deadly firearms.

The prosecutor said: 'Alexander was the overall organiser and ringleader. He coordinated the selling of firearms from his prison cell using the illegally acquired mobile phones.

'He used his wife and stepdaughter to communicate with others involved and used the family address as a base.

'All the defendants, particularly Alexander, knew that the firearms were going to end up in the hands of criminals who would not hesitate to use them for the purpose of violent crime, to rob, to maim, to endanger life.'

During a previous hearing, Mr Temple had said that Alexander had 'expertise' in weapons following his time in the Army.



The court heard the workshop used to covert the antique.44 calibre guns into firing weapons has never been found.

Involved: Alexander's step-daughter Lullahbelle Purdy, 26, (left) admitted money laundering funds from the racket, and Gordon's girlfriend Sherika Abbot-Holder, 27, (right) was convicted of conspiring to supply firearms



Gang: Leon Brown, 31, (left) admitted conspiring to transfer ammunition and David Joseph, 28, (right) admitted conspiring to supply firearms with intent to danger life



Letters to his wife Caroline Hunter-Mann-Purdy, 64, showed how heavily she was involved in his activities, the court heard.

Gordon's role was 'instrumental' in finding customers and establishing safe houses where the guns and ammunition could be stored, the court was told.



James Scobie QC, representing Alexander, said he pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply firearms with intent to endanger life in the 'full knowledge they could end up in the wrong hands.'

But he said Gordon, 27 was just as important to the racket at Alexander.

Mr Scobie said he had access to gun magazines from the moment he entered prison as they were already in his cell.

Find: A firearm recovered by police during their investigation into Alexander

Weapon: James Scobie QC, representing Alexander, said he pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply firearms with intent to endanger life in the 'full knowledge they could end up in the wrong hands'

'The temptation was there and he took it. And now he's right back at the bottom,' he said.

Speaking about Alexander's career he said: 'He had an exemplary Army record, he spent 20 years in the Army and was in the Royal Artillery. He spent time in the special services and was somebody who was an asset to the community.

'He is remorseful not only to the court but to his family.'

The court heard since he's been in prison Alexander, who has written two novels, has helped illiterate prisoners learn to read.

Gordon, his girlfriend Sherika Abbot-Holder, 27, and another woman Emma Jones, 26, all from west London, were convicted of conspiring to supply firearms.

Discovery: Ammunition found by police. Of the 11 weapons sold by Alexander¿s arms network, only four have since been recovered

Bullets: Gordon's role was 'instrumental' in finding customers and establishing safe houses where the guns and ammunition could be stored, the court was told Deadly: The .44 weapons, which are not illegal to buy if they do not fire, were then converted into deadly firearms

Alexander, from Bath, admitted conspiring to supply firearms with intent to danger life, as did his wife, and friend David Joseph, 28.

Hunter-Mann-Purdy's daughter Lullahbelle Purdy, 26, of Harwich, Essex, admitted money laundering funds from the racket.

Another man Leon Brown, 31, of Plaistow, east London, admitted conspiring to transfer ammunition.

Alexander retired from the Army with an exemplary record in 1992 but started his own business converting blank-firing guns into lethal weapons.

He managed to avoid detection for years by using 33 aliases including the surnames Hunter-Mann, Bourne and Bauer - the latter two after Jason Bourne, the action movie hero, and Jack Bauer, the lead character in the TV thriller series 24.

But he was finally jailed indefinitely in 2009.

Of the 11 weapons sold by Alexander’s arms network, only four have since been recovered.