Paul Wilson stashed an ‘arsenal’ of firearms in his bungalow after finding himself ‘in a situation he couldn’t get out of’
19:00, 16 Mar 2026Updated 19:13, 16 Mar 2026
Paul Wilson, of Brenchley Close in Dovecot, aged 61(Image: Merseyside Police)
A gang of masked men stashed an “arsenal” of potentially deadly weapons in a grandad’s Dovecot bungalow. Paul Wilson stashed a cache of firearms within his home after finding himself in a “situation he couldn’t get out of”, having racked up debts with his drug dealers.
This led to police discovering an Uzi submachine gun in his attic and a pistol hidden on top of his wardrobe, after which he claimed to have merely found the items. A judge today labelled them “evil weapons” and told the wheelchair user: “This city has seen all too often the consequences of automatic weapons being discharged and innocent bystanders being killed.”
Liverpool Crown Court heard on Monday that Merseyside Police executed a search warrant at Wilson’s adapted bungalow on Brenchley Close in Dovecot shortly before 2pm on August 30 last year. While no persons were initially present at the time, officers went on to discover a Makarov pistol and magazine in a wardrobe in one bedroom, as well as a Mod 85 handgun and the potentially lethal Uzi within the loft.
Alaric Walmsley, prosecuting, outlined how Wilson then arrived home shortly after 5.30pm the same day. Having been arrested, the 61-year-old replied: “The cannabis is mine and I found the gun.”
Mr Walmsley described Wilson as the “custodian” of this “small arsenal” of weapons, which were all successfully test fired. Both the Uzi and Makarov had their serial numbers removed, with the latter being recovered alongside seven rounds of compatible ammunition and the former with three magazines.
The Mod 85 meanwhile was established to be a blank firing pistol which had been converted in order to enable it to fire live rounds and “designed to resemble a Beretta”. Wilson went on to state in a basis of plea, which was accepted by the prosecution, that he had begun smoking cannabis in order to alleviate pain associated with health problems including spinal issues and muscular dystrophy, which mean that he is required to use a wheelchair or crutches.
But, having accumulated a drug debt, he was told that this would be wiped if he “minded items” on behalf of criminals, after which a number of masked men were said to have attended his address and placed the firearms in the attic, later returning with a further package which he placed in the top of the wardrobe. His criminal record shows five previous convictions for 11 offences between 1989 and 1999.
Carmel Wilde, defending, told the court: “Such offences, in my respectful submission, are very much out of character for this defendant. There are no offences for over 25 years, with a significant gap since 1999 for low level offences.
“The defendant finds himself here having started to use cannabis to alleviate pain due to his numerous medical conditions, the muscular dystrophy, the spinal issues, COPD and nodules on his lungs, bowel and colon. That is a decision he very much regrets. He acknowledges that it was a very poor decision. He understands the seriousness of his actions.
“He found himself in a position where he did not know what to do when he built up a cannabis drug debt. As we often see, that often person puts a person in a very precarious position. He describes not being able to talk to friends and family. He was ashamed of the situation with the cannabis and did not want to put anybody else at risk.
“Of course, he is a vulnerable man. He is somebody who never could have reached the attic to place the items there. He found himself in a position where he was easy prey for these criminals.
“Although disappointed in him, he has huge family support today. The situation in relation to his care at the moment is that his daughter and granddaughters come in to help him several times a day, in terms of helping him get up and assisting him with washing, showering and shopping.
“Essentially, he is almost housebound now. He uses a wheelchair mainly, and crutches if he cannot get to certain places. He finds it very difficult, in terms of his mobility. He was originally remanded into custody for two weeks and deteriorated as a result. He found he could not shower at all in prison and was not receiving the numerous medications outlined.
“The proof is in the pudding, in my respectful submission. This is a defendant who, in those two weeks in prison, found it extremely difficult to receive even basis healthcare for his serious conditions. He was somebody who previously worked as an IT engineer, but he has not been able to work for some 30 years.
“He, thankfully, has stopped using cannabis altogether. He says that he wants to cut ties with criminal associates and has been drug free for six to seven months. He is in great discomfort all of the time. He accepts that he needs to be punished, but he is assessed as a low risk of harm and reconviction.
“He was essentially threatened and told that this was going to happen. He was not in a position to argue. The evidence shows that he would very much struggle in custody. Custody is meant to be difficult, of course. It is not meant to be easy.
“The prison service do their best to accommodate the defendant and others with health conditions. This is a defendant who will not be able to shower and look after himself. Even while he has comfort of home and own family, he finds himself in a deteriorating state.
“It is his own fault, in terms of his drug debt. He found himself in a situation that he could not get out of. He has taken steps to rehabilitation, in terms of reducing his drug use, and he has the support of his family.”
Wilson admitted three counts of possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of ammunition without a certificate and possession of cannabis resin. Appearing in the dock in a wheelchair and wearing glasses, he was jailed for four years.
Sentencing, Judge Dennis Watson KC said: “These are the weapons of choice for an organised crime group. This city has seen all too often the consequences of automatic weapons being discharged and innocent bystanders being killed. They are evil weapons.
“You were a custodian. Your life up to this point had not involved itself for many, many years in crime. You are not somebody that shared any of the aims of the group. To an extent, you were vulnerable and exploited.
“You had contributed to your vulnerability. You chose to use drugs and run up a debt. It is your debt that was the trigger here, not the fact that you were in a wheelchair or had COPD.
“Your pleas and regret are something which should lead the court to conclude that you are remorseful. Your health issues I do not overlook for a moment. It is to your credit that you no longer take controlled drugs.
“Put simply, prison for you will have a far greater impact for you than it will for somebody without your conditions. You were the ideal target for these people, but you contributed to that.”