Jailed: Brothers manufactured and sold illegal guns and bullets

Tony and Simon Graham were caught after a West Midlands Police investigation linked them to the conversion and sale of guns, Birmingham Crown Court heard.

In June 2021, police recovered numerous types of ammunition and manufacturing tools from Simon Graham’s address while Tony Graham’s laptop showed significant searches and over 1,800 images of firearms and obsolete cartridges.

Simon Graham pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to manufacture, sell and transfer prohibited weapons and ammunition on February 21 at Birmingham Crown Court.

On July 25, Tony Graham pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing a firearm when prohibited and two counts of conspiracy to manufacture, sell and transfer prohibited weapons and ammunition at the same court.

Tony Graham, 40, of St Johns Road, Dudley, was jailed for eight years and one month at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday, while Simon Graham, 38, of Holly Hill Road, Birmingham, was jailed for five years and three months.

One of their Essex customers, Tony Stokes, 26, of Wickford Avenue, Basildon, also pleaded guilty on April 5 to possessing ammunition without a firearm certificate or authority and will be sentenced at a later date.

Another associate, Bailey Mcilroy, 19 of Lysander Road, Birmingham, was convicted following trial of possessing a converted firing pistol and ammunition and will be sentenced later.

Hannah Sidaway, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Tony Graham and Simon Graham made a business out of supplying criminals with guns and bullets regardless of the consequences to society, and their contacts Tony Stokes, Bailey Mcilroy and others engaged with them solely for their firearms connections.

"Possessing and using illegal firearms puts lives at risk and has a detrimental impact on our communities.

"The defendants showed no regard for the potential loss of lives that could have resulted from the guns they either sold or bought.

"I hope this case sends a clear message that those who produce and sell illegal firearms and ammunition will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”