DNA from accused at gun factory

DNA from a man accused of converting replica machine guns into live weapons was discovered at the scene of an illegal factory, a court has heard.

A forensic scientist told the jury that a sample from Grant Wilkinson matched that taken from an imitation gun found in outbuildings in Reading, Berkshire.

Mr Wilkinson and Gary Lewis deny turning replica guns into live weapons.

The prosecution claim these were then sold and have since been linked to 51 shootings, including eight murders.

Mr Wilkinson, 34, and Mr Lewis, 38, converted 90 replicas into real Mac 10 sub-machine guns in the factory at The Briars in Basingstoke Road, Three Mile Cross, the prosecution says.

Most of the shootings were in the Greater London area, with four in Birmingham and one in Manchester.

The majority of the murders took place in London, dating back to the summer of 2004, the court heard.

The court heard that the test was taken from a gun recovered from, what the prosecution describe as, the test firing shed at the gun factory and that the likelihood of the DNA being from someone not related to Mr Wilkinson was one in a billion.

Last week the trial at Reading Crown Court heard from firearms expert Stephen Nicklin who said the guns and the components could have been used to manufacture 6,000 live rounds.

Mr Wilkinson, of no fixed address, and Mr Lewis, of Bourne End, Buckinghamshire, deny charges of conspiracy to convert imitation firearms, conspiracy to sell or transfer firearms and conspiracy to sell or transfer ammunition.

They also deny two counts of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life, two counts of possession of a prohibited weapon and two counts of possession of ammunition with intent to endanger life.

Earlier in the trial, the court heard resident Tony Humphries say he found the equipment inside outbuildings at the back of The Briars last July.

Jurors also heard that Mr Wilkinson used a fake name to buy the 90 guns, worth £55,201, from Sabre Defence Industries in Middlesex.

He told a director of the firm they were needed for a James Bond film.

The court heard how police found evidence of 11 of the guns at the Three Mile Cross address and in Wooburn Green, Buckinghamshire.

Jurors were told 39 other converted guns were recovered from London, Birmingham, Southampton and the West country.

This meant 40 of the original 90 replica guns were unaccounted for and probably already converted into live firing weapons, the prosecution said.

The hearing continues.

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