Men built viable 3D printed sub-machine guns, trial hears

Three men manufactured and attempted to distribute sub-machine guns built using a 3D printer, their trial has been told.

Sheffield Crown Court heard Christopher Gill and Sibusiso Moyo were involved in making the weapons, with Majeeb Rehman "caught red-handed" transporting one.

Guns were found in Mr Rehman's car and Mr Gill's Bradford loft, jurors heard.

The three deny conspiracy to transfer a prohibited firearm and possessing ammunition without a certificate.

Mr Gill, 35, and Mr Moyo, 41, also deny a charge of conspiracy to manufacture prohibited firearms and two charges of having a prohibited weapon for sale or transfer.

Mr Moyo, of Elloughton Grove, Hull, denies possessing an identity document with improper intention.

Opening the case for the prosecution, Stephen Wood KC said police were carrying out surveillance work on 17 May when they saw Mr Rehman, 46, leave his home in Central Avenue, Bradford, and drive off in his BMW car before parking in Darren Street.

A short time later, Mr Gill also left his home address in nearby Dick Lane carrying a blue bag and placed it in the back of Mr Rehman's car , the jury was told.

Armed police later stopped the vehicle on Rooley Lane, the court heard, and found a firearm inside the blue bag.

"The officer had not seen its like before, manufactured from plastic and metal component parts," Mr Wood told the court.

The gun had the letters FGC-9 and carried the words 'live free or die', the court heard, with an image of arm holding a sword dripping in blood.

Police later searched Mr Gill's house and found a firearm in the loft near an area of torn insulation, the prosecutor said.

"As we will hear, this weapon had been manufactured using a 3D printer," Mr Wood said.

He told the court DNA evidence linked Mr Moyo to both weapons, alleging the defendant was "intimately involved in the manufacturing process".

"This is a case all about manufacture and transfer of prohibited weapons. By prohibited weapons I mean sub-machine guns," Mr Wood said.

"The Crown say that defendants Moyo and Gill were involved in the manufacture of these weapons and that on one occasion, the defendant Rehman was caught red-handed transporting such a weapon, loaded with functioning bulleted cartridges, which he had been given by Gill."

The trial continues.

Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or send video here.