Jailed: Driver found with loaded gun in his car gets nine years
A man who was carrying a loaded gun in his car while driving around has been sent to prison for nine years.
Ricardo Cousins of Amerhurst Avenue, Handsworth Wood, was jailed at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday, May 12, for the firearms offence which occurred in February last year.
Officers saw the 33-year-old driving erratically on Handsworth Wood Road at around 4.30pm on Monday, 14 February. When they flagged him down, Cousins drove off at speed instead of coming to a halt.
After a brief pursuit and search of the local area officers found Cousins in his Skoda Fabia parked in nearby Antrobus Road. During a scan of the car they uncovered a pistol, which was loaded with five rounds of ammunition, in a bag.
Cousins was arrested that day and subsequently charged with possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and for dangerous driving.
As well as being jailed last week he was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.
Detective Inspector Matt Underwood, from Birmingham CID at West Midlands Police said: “Ricardo Cousins was brazenly driving around Birmingham during the day while in possession of a loaded gun. Fortunately, our officers were alert to his careless driving and gave chase after he failed to stop for us.
“We stopped him before he could cause serious harm but his offence was no less grievous. Guns are lethal weapons, which as well as having the potential to kill and seriously maim, cause fear and alarm among the community. We won’t put up with people carrying firearms illegally and the sentence Cousins received shows that there will be serious consequence for those who do.”
"Just days after Cousins’ sentencing, we launched Operation Target, a major new operation to target serious and organised crime across the West Midlands, from drug dealing and burglary, to cyber-crime and fraud.
"Firearms offences such as the one committed by Ricardo Cousins are also within the scope of Operation Target, which will span the West Midlands region and will see our officers working alongside other forces and the Regional Organised Crime Unit. We’ll be focusing our expertise and resources on disrupting those involved in serious and organised crime, and bringing offenders to justice."
