A man from County Down who broke down and mailed an AR-15 assault rifle and two handguns to himself from the US has been sentenced, the National Crime Agency (NCA) announced on September 20.
William McMullan, 66, of Loughdoo Road in Newtownards, Co Down was arrested by NCA officers at his home address in November 2019.
The NCA said it was alerted after Border Force officers at Coventry International Postal Hub detected parts of the automatic weapon, along with parts of a revolver and a self-loading pistol in two separate packages.
Following his arrest, McMullan admitted buying the weapons while he was on holiday in the US and mailing them back to his address in Northern Ireland.
McMullan appeared before Downpatrick Crown Court in Northern Ireland on Thursday, September 12 where he pleaded guilty to firearms importation offences.
On Friday, September 20, at the same court, McMullan was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for 12 months.
NCA Belfast Branch Commander David Cunningham said: “These firearms could have caused mass casualties in the wrong hands.
"The AR-15 in particular 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. 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.
“We work closely with our colleagues at Border Force to protect the public by preventing illegal firearms reaching our streets.”
Phillip Holliday, Regional Director of Border Force Central said: “Border Force are committed to stopping firearms from entering the country illegally, where they fuel organised criminal gangs and ruin lives.
"We will continue to work tirelessly to keep the public safe and our borders secure.”
Gun ownership in Northern Ireland
The Firearms and Explosives Branch of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is responsible for the licensing of firearms owners, firearms dealers, and clubs. It executes its duties as per the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004.
In Northern Ireland, a firearm certificate is required for the purchase and possession of firearms and ammunition.
"Initial grants are subject to the most extensive background checks," the PSNI says.
The certification process involves the PSNI conducting several checks to ensure the applicant is 'fit' and has good reason to hold the firearm. These checks include: GP medical reports; law enforcement records; requests from other bodies e.g. police teams, social services, applicant and other firearm certificate (FAC) holders.
It is an offense to fail to declare a medical or criminal record.
A person convicted of a crime and sentenced to a period of imprisonment or detention in a young offenders’ centre of three years or more is prohibited for life from purchasing, acquiring, or having a firearm or ammunition in his possession.
Where the sentence is for a period of three months or more but less than three years, he is prohibited for a period of eight years.
According to the 2018 Small Arms Survey, there were an estimated 206,000 firearms in civilian possession in Northern Ireland, about 10.99 civilian firearms per 100 people.
Of that figure, an estimated 153,000 were registered and 53,000 were unregistered.
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