Gun dealer is jailed indefinitely

Paul Alexander was jailed indefinitely for the public's protection

A former Army sergeant, described in court as a "dealer in death", has been jailed indefinitely for making and supplying guns to criminal gangs.

Paul Alexander, 53, supplied weapons and ammunition linked to 28 UK crimes.

A "gun factory" was found at a house Alexander rented in Bardfield Saling, Essex, in September 2008.

Jailing him at Chelmsford Crown Court, Judge Charles Gratwicke said: "You were wickedly putting guns into the hands of criminals in order to obtain money."

Alexander was tracked down in an operation which followed the death of 11-year-old Rhys Jones in Liverpool in August 2007.

He had previously admitted possessing firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life, converting imitation firearms into real firearms, buying and selling prohibited ammunition and money laundering.

You had in your possession lethal firearms and indeed ammunition which you then proceeded to supply to the criminal underworld Judge Charles Gratwicke Criminal past of jailed armourer

The 28 crimes included a murder and four attempted murders, in Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham.

Senior officers from the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) described the former soldier who served with the Royal Artillery for 20 years, as a "dealer in death".

Judge Gratwicke said Alexander would serve a minimum of seven years and 320 days, a term actually equivalent to nine years because of the time he has spent on remand since his arrest.

If he had handed down a determinate jail sentence, it would have been 18 years, the judge said.

"You had in your possession lethal firearms and indeed ammunition which you then proceeded to supply to the criminal underworld."

DNA profile

Police said Alexander was caught after detectives in Merseyside started an operation aimed at two feuding gangs in Liverpool, The Croxteth Crew and The Strand Gang, following the killing of Rhys Jones in 2007.

Officers recovered several firearms from an address in Merseyside and found Alexander's DNA profile on a self-loading pistol.

His DNA was also found on two similar weapons seized during a later investigation by Greater Manchester Police.

Alexander was arrested in Bardfield Saling in September 2008.

Police said Alexander created the gun factory in an outbuilding of the house, which he rented for £3,800 a month.

Forensic experts found tell-tale signs on weapons Alexander had worked on and then found similar marks on guns seized following shootings.