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Pensioner posted himself guns from the United States

NCA A police image of an assault rifle and handguns on a desk alongside boxes of bulletsNCA
William McMullan posted himself AR-15 rifle and two handguns

A man from County Down who posted himself an AR-15 rifle and two handguns from the United States has been given a suspended sentence.

William McMullan, of Loughdoo Road in Newtownards, admitted buying the weapons while on holiday in the US.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) was alerted after Border Force officers detected parts of the weapons in the packages when they arrived at the international postal hub in Coventry in England.

McMullan, 66, appeared at Downpatrick Crown Court on Friday where he admitted firearms importation offences and was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for a year.

'Military-style rifle'

David Cunningham, NCA Belfast branch commander, said the weapons "could have caused mass causalities in the wrong hands".

"The AR-15 is a military-style rifle, of the type known to have been used in a number of high profile mass-shootings in the United States," he said.

"There is no place for deadly weapons like these in Northern Ireland.

“These were serious offences, and McMullan was foolish in the extreme to think he could get away with it."