Illegal shotgun was on display over Edinburgh man's fireplace for years

AN Edinburgh man has been fined after admitting to keeping a family heirloom shotgun at his home without the proper certificate.

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Darren Clancy, 48, had the potentially-lethal weapon on display above his fireplace for several years before stashing it away in a bedroom cupboard.

Clancy, of the capital’s Restalrig, was also found to have a C02 powered air pistol hidden in the bottom of the cupboard at his home.

Clancy was also caught with a CO2-powered air pistol

The illegal weapons were discovered during a police search of the property after officers had received a tip off concerning the guns in October 2019.

Clancy pleaded guilty to possessing the two weapons without holding a valid firearms certificate for each when he appeared in the dock at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month.

Fiscal depute Jennifer McLaren told the court police turned up at Clancy’s home after being granted a search warrant on October 22, 2019.

Ms McLaren said Clancy was at the house on his own and officers recovered “a rifle” from within a wardrobe in a bedroom.

The 'heirloom' shotgun was found in a cupboard at the Restalrig property

The fiscal added an air weapon was also discovered during the search and it was subsequently found that Clancy did not own a certificate for either of the weapons.

The court was told both weapons were found to be “faulty” and needed to be repaired to be in working order.

Solicitor Murray Robertson, defending, said the shotgun had been “in the possession of his family for over 20 years” and was “not capable” of being fired.

The lawyer added the family heirloom had been on show above Clancy’s fireplace for around 15 years before he put it away in the bedroom cupboard.

Mr Robertson said his client “does not intend to hold onto the items” and admitted “finding the items would have been alarming” for the officers who had attended his home.

Sheriff Nigel Ross ordered Clancy to pay a £400 fine after he pled guilty to possessing a shotgun without a valid firearms certificate at his home address on October 22, 2019.

He also admitted to possessing an air weapon, namely a C02 powered pistol, without a valid firearms certificate at the same location on the same date.

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