Gainsborough man jailed for five years over sawn-off shotgun found in car

Stuart Wright had earlier turned up at the accident and emergency unit at Lincoln County Hospital where he mentioned to staff that he had a gun.

Phil Howes, prosecuting, told Lincoln Crown Court that as a result of the comment made by Wright police were alerted.

Mr Howes said: "Officers went to Gainsborough and searched the defendant's vehicle which was parked on Lewis Street.

"In the boot they found 22 shotgun cartridges. They also found a double-barrelled sawn-off shotgun.

"The defendant was arrested at the hospital. In interview he exercised his right to silence."

Wright, 48, of Lewis Street, admitted a charge of possession of a sawn-off shotgun as a result of the incident on December 13 last year.

Judge Simon Hirst told Wright the offence he admitted had a minimum sentence of five years' imprisonment.

The judge said: "The gravity of gun crime cannot be over-estimated. Guns kill and maim and intimidate. That is why criminals want them.

"The danger of this sort of shotgun is the length which means it can easily be hidden.

"Parliament has decreed there will be a minimum sentence for this type of offence. I am not able to find exceptional reasons for imposing a lesser sentence."

David Eager, in mitigation, said a friend had taken Wright to the hospital after preventing the defendant from taking his own life.

"It is a tragedy," said Mr Eager.