Copford pensioner hoarded hundreds of guns at his houses

David Cole was arrested after Essex Police officers searched his properties in Hugh Dickson Road, Colchester, and London Road, Copford, in June 2019.

Officers seized hundreds of firearms from his properties and Cole was later charged as owning two of the guns in question without a licence, which can lead to a five-year prison sentence.

The 73-year-old admitted possessing a shotgun without a certificate, a firearm without a firearms certificate and two charges of possessing a prohibited smooth-bore gun.

Ipswich Crown Court was told yesterday Cole has a gun hoarding disorder and had the firearms “strewn” across his homes for about half a century.

The shotgun and firearm which he needed certificates for were found hidden in Cole’s loft wrapped in plastic bags by police officers in June 2019. They were, however, both deactivated.

Hugh Vass, prosecuting, said: “He used to have a shotgun licence, but it was cancelled in 2014.

“On June 11, 2019, police officers entered his London Road house due to welfare concerns raised by a third party.

“Officers attended his Hugh Dickson Road home and seized firearms from the loft.”

Police search a property in London Road, Copford

Mr Cole was interviewed under caution, but answered no comment to questions.

He later admitted four charges.

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Cyrus Shroff, mitigating, said Cole saw the guns as memorabilia he had collected over the decades.

Mr Shroff said: “There was no concerns over any familiarity with organised crime or selling them on the black web.

“He also once had a shotgun certificate and the two guns in questions were hidden in his loft for about 25 years.

“They were wrapped up to preserve their condition because he cared for them.

“His hoarding is an unusual characteristic.”

Judge Emma Peters said she needed to get a greater understanding of Cole before passing sentence.

“I should impose a five-year sentence today unless there are exceptional circumstances,” she said.

She asked for a pre-sentence report. Cole will return to court for sentence on June 28.