A CARER who agreed to hold a box of possessions for a man she barely knew denied knowledge of its contents after it was found to contain two pistols and almost 50 rounds of live ammunition.

Kim Ames, 62, and her partner Lance, 65, were arrested after officers searched a home in Broom Way, Abberton, Colchester, on Thursday, February 25.

Ipswich Crown Court heard when police looked in an Ottoman box at the foot of a bed in a master bedroom, they found a smaller box containing two 9mm high calibre self-loading pistols.

They noted attempts seemed to have been made to remove serial numbers on both weapons, while 48 live 9mm cartridges were also seized.

In police interview, Kim Ames said she had never inspected the box or its contents after she was handed it by a man she “vaguely knew” for safe-keeping.

She admitted two counts of possessing a prohibited firearm and possessing ammunition without a firearms certificate, on the basis she had no knowledge of the contents of the box.

Lance Ames denied the same set of charges and the prosecution offered no evidence against him.

John Livingston, mitigating, said Kim Ames had agreed to look after a package for the man and was led to believe the box contained some items belonging to his late mother.

“She thought it contained important papers and some jewellery as well,” he said.

“He said he would pick it up at some later point, but he never did.”

Gazette: One of the handguns seized from the property in ColchesterOne of the handguns seized from the property in Colchester

He added: “She didn’t load it, she doesn’t know how to and she’s never touched a gun. She never used them, never touched them, they were never a threat in any way to anyone else.”

Mr Livingstone said Ames is a carer with no previous convictions, who had led “a law-abiding life of service to the community”.

Judge David Pugh agreed the basis of plea was an exceptional circumstance, which led him away from imposing a lengthy prison sentence.

But he added: “Once you became suspicious the box may have contained something illegal, rather than open it yourself before contacting the police, you then chose to contact [the man who delivered it].

“If police had not acted, then that choice made by you - which I find was shutting your eyes to any potential illegality then contacting the person who gave you the package - it could have resulted in those firearms going back into circulation.”

Ames was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment.

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