A teenager who had a large garden gnome thrown through his front window has been jailed for six years after police investigating the crime found a stash of shotguns and drugs.

Officers were called after the gnome was hurled into James Burrell’s home in Tulse Hill. When the police arrived they discovered a loaded sawn-off shotgun, a second sawn-off and a third shotgun.

They also found more than 100 cartridges and £160 worth of cannabis stored in 16 sealed snap bags in Burrell’s wardrobe, alongside electronic scales. Texts on his phone indicated he was involved in drug dealing. Inner London crown court heard gun crime detectives from Operation Trident had been about to arrest the teenager after a tip-off about weapons before the gnome incident, in January, alerted local officers. The court was not told who called the police.

Burrell, 18, pleaded guilty to three charges of possessing a firearm, one count of possessing ammunition and also of possessing cannabis with intent to supply.

David Ewings, defending, said Burrell had been handed the firearms in mid-December by someone he knew who had asked him to look after them.

Although Burrell has a previous conviction for burglary he was “a naïve, young, disadvantaged man who did not have ability to be a gangster drug dealer,” Mr Ewings said. He also has autism spectrum disorder and ADHD.

Sentencing, Judge Nic Madge told Burrell: “You had three guns and ammunition in a residential street. One of the sawn-off shotguns was loaded.

“Even though you are only 18, this offending behaviour requires more than the minimum sentence. Anyone, whatever their age, who possesses firearms must expect a long sentence.”