Campden Park man found guilty on gun, ammo charge

Campden Park resident Devon Ashton showed little emotion when Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne-Matthias sentenced him to three years for gun and ammunition possession.{{more}}

Ashton, 26, was found guilty on Tuesday at the Serious Offences Court for possession of a firearm and five rounds of ammunition.

Ashton was sentenced to three years in jail for the gun and 12 months on the ammunition charge. The sentences will run concurrently.

On April 9, 2013, police officers were on mobile patrol in Lower Middle Street when a large crowd was seen gathered outside a shop. Ashton, who was in that crowd, ran into the shop and was chased by a police officer, who said Ashton dropped a gun.

The gun was retrieved and Ashton was taken into custody.

In mitigation, Ashton’s counsel Grant Connell asked the chief magistrate to exercise leniency in relation to his client, stating it would be a lesson well learnt for him to stay away from certain environment.

Connell also stated that the gun was not brandished in public and urged the magistrate to consider a financial penalty against his client.(KW)