Man charged after imitation gun seized at Soho burglary

A man has been charged with aggravated burglary after police seized an imitation firearm at a house in Soho, Birmingham.

Officers were called to a property on City Road shortly after 5.10am on Saturday 17 October after a report of a burglary. A man in his 40s was detained at the scene.

What was found

During searches officers seized an imitation firearm, along with a screwdriver and a hammer.

The charges

Leon Gordon, 45, has been charged with:

• aggravated burglary
• possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence
• resisting arrest

He was remanded in police custody and is due to appear before Birmingham Magistrates' Court today, Monday 19 October.

About the offences

A burglary becomes aggravated burglary when the person has a firearm or imitation firearm, a weapon of offence or an explosive with them at the time. It is one of the most serious property offences and can only be tried at the Crown Court, where the maximum sentence is life imprisonment. Cases begin in the magistrates' court, which deals with bail and then sends the case to the Crown Court, usually within weeks. A defendant is asked to enter a plea at a later hearing there, and a trial date is set if they plead not guilty.

Possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause someone to believe that unlawful violence will be used against them is a separate offence under the Firearms Act 1968, and carries a maximum of ten years in prison.

Police treat imitation guns seriously because officers and the public often cannot tell them apart from real ones in the moment, and a call reporting a gun will bring an armed response until it is known otherwise.

Innocent until proven guilty

Mr Gordon has been charged but not convicted, and is entitled to a fair trial. Nothing should be published, including on social media, that could prejudice the case.

Protecting your home

Police say most burglaries happen when a property is empty, but anyone woken by an intruder should call 999 straight away, stay somewhere safe and avoid confronting them. Good locks on doors and windows, outside lighting and a doorbell camera can all make a home less of a target, and neighbourhood officers can give free crime prevention advice. Keeping keys away from the front door and out of sight also helps.

Anyone with information about this incident can contact police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.