Image copyright Metropolitan Police

A man has been convicted of making a 3D printed gun - which was capable of firing a deadly shot.

Tendai Muswere, 26, from central London, initially told officers he was printing the firearm for a university project.

He pleaded guilty to manufacturing a firearm at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday.

The Metropolitan Police says it believes it is the first conviction of its kind in the UK.

Police raided Muswere's home in Pimlico, Westminster, in October 2017 after getting a warrant to look for drugs.

During the search, they found parts of a 3D printed gun - which Muswere - then a student - didn't have a firearms licence for.

He told officers he was printing the firearm for a university film project and he didn't know the parts he'd made were capable of firing.

Image copyright Metropolitan Police Image caption This is the 3D gun Muswere made

Muswere wouldn't tell police what his project was about.

Police found through searching his internet history that he had looked at videos which showed how to use a 3D printer to make guns that could fire ammunition.

They also discovered he had cannabis plants and there was evidence he was growing them.

Officers carried out a second raid on his home in February 2018 and found more parts of a 3D printed gun.

Acting Detective Sergeant Jonathan Roberts, who led the investigation, said: "Muswere claimed that he was printing the firearms for a 'dystopian' university film project but he has not explained why he included the component parts necessary to make a lethal barrelled weapon.

"We know that Muswere was planning to line the printed firearms with steel tubes in order to make a barrel capable of firing.

"This conviction, which I believe is the first of its kind relating to the use of a 3D printer to produce a firearm, has prevented a viable gun from getting into the hands of criminals."

Muswere will be sentenced on 9 August.

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