A Huyton teenager caught with a loaded gun after confronting undercover police was locked up for five years.
Armed officers discovered the 8mm Bruni self-loading pistol when they raided Rueben Murphy’s home in Barkbeth Road on April 29 last year.
Officers found the handgun and 10 bullets in the pocket of a grey North Face jacket, which Murphy was wearing when cycling around just 20 minutes earlier.
Murphy was today found not guilty of possessing the gun and ammunition with intent to endanger life, but had previously admitted just their possession.
Liverpool Crown Court heard how his home was searched by police shortly after he had approached an undercover officer sat in a car and asked “are you following me?” before saying “you’re a bizzy,” and riding away.
Prosecutors alleged that Murphy had the gun “ready to be fired at the squeeze of a trigger” during a three-day trial.
Judge Andrew Hatton told him: “You have one previous conviction for possessing a bladed article, which shows you’re prepared to go out on the streets of Merseyside with a weapon.
“The jury were not satisfied that you had an intention to endanger life. I will of course be wholly faithful to that verdict.
The 8mm Bruni self-loading pistol and magazine police found in Huyton teen Rueben Murphy’s jacket pocket
“But the evidence reveals in my judgement that you were cycling around the streets of Liverpool with a loaded gun in your pocket.
“Having realised you were being followed by the police – I suspect that may not have been the first time as you seem to know the identity of the police officers – you went to your home, put your jacket on a worktop, and when police arrived a few minutes later, the gun was still in the pocket.”
Prosecutors alleged that Murphy was behaving suspiciously while cycling around with a friend and tried to disguise his appearance with a scarf.
When his house was searched at 2.30pm, the gun was recovered with one bullet in the chamber.
Murphy told police he bought the gun for £50 and claimed it was an imitation. However, he later accepted it was a modified “rebore”, which had been “drilled out”.
The defendant chose not to take the stand to give evidence.
His barrister, Geoffrey Lowe, questioned the logic of any suggestion his client may have had the gun in his pocket when he approached the policeman – who did not see any weapon – on his bike.
General view of Barkbeth Road, where Rueben Murphy’s home was raided. Photo taken from Google Maps.
He said: “He must be an extremely stupid villain to go up to somebody who is a police officer with a weapon in his pocket. For all he knew the officer might do something.”
However, in his sentencing remarks, Judge Hatton said: “I’m confident he was cycling around with a loaded gun.”
An initial jury had to be discharged after Murphy recognised a police officer among the 12 jurors.
The second jury took three and a half hours to reach a not guilty verdict.
Murphy, 20, now of Liverpool Road, Huyton, jumped up and down in the dock.
He shouted: “That’s all I need to hear,” while family members screamed “yes” in the public gallery.
Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/