"God forbid the children getting close…Lol." Woman who persuaded a mother to hide loaded GUN in her bedroom joked on WhatsApp

Shyan Wright, 25, convinced the pal to look after the pistol and a bag of eight bullets, describing it as a 'big favour'.

Police today described the message joking about the children, who were two and three, as 'truly shocking and sickening'.

A series of WhatsApp messages found by police revealed Wright told the mother: “I need a big favour…me and my baby father was wondering if you could hold onto a (gun emoji) for a bit. Ur only one I can trust."

She told the friend that "your yard ain't hot", meaning that police had no interest in her home, and that it would just be for a couple of weeks.

A few days later, Wright, who used the WhatsApp username ‘ShyShy’ − asked where her friend had stashed the illegal firearm.

The woman confirmed “in Ma room".

Wright, of Forrester Street, Walsall, replied: "God forbid the children getting close…Lol."

The 23-year-old who agreed to hold the weapon was jailed for five years in September 2015, after police raided her Handsworth home.

But it was only last year that police were able to identify the person behind the ShyShy name used in the messages, which were sent in May that year.

Detectives say they uncovered intelligence about Wright as part of a wider gun crime probe, and her home was raided on November 2 last year.

Another phone was recovered that was shown to have been used in the WhatsApp conversation.

Wright, 25, initially denied sending the messages, but eventually pleaded guilty aiding and abetting possession of a firearm.

She was jailed for five years at Birmingham Crown Court on Monday.

Dc Damian Forrest: "Girlfriends or wives of men linked to gang crime may be tempted to look after weapons out of misguided loyalty to partners.

“There is no excuse to tell police ‘it’s not mine’.

"These women have both found to their cost the catastrophic consequences of holding on to firearms for someone else…both have been handed long prison sentences and separated from their children and families.

“The case also highlights that West Midlands Police will pursue those involved in gun crime irrespective of the passing of time. Offenders need to understand that they could get a knock at the door from our officers at any time."

Referring to the woman who held the gun, Dc Forrest said: “She had children aged just two and three in the house. The messages ‘laughing out loud’ about what might happen if they found the loaded gun are truly shocking and sickening.

“Anyone who feels they are being coerced or bullied into holding a firearm for someone else can call us in confidence on the 101 number. We can help them."