Michael Higgins, aged 45, was sentenced to five years in jail at Worcester Crown Court on Friday, November 4th following a trial for possessing a shortened shotgun weapon and possessing a weapon for the discharge of a noxious liquid or gas.

He was arrested after officers executed a drugs warrant at a property in Goodrich, on December 22nd, 2009. A search of outbuildings led to the discovery of a sawn-off shotgun and a CS gas grenade, which were found in an old, unlocked metal box.

During his trial, Higgins claimed he did not live at the house and he gave his address as a property in Evesham. He denied he and his ex-partner were in regular contact. However detectives showed that he gave Dean Swift Close as his address on a number of occasions, including for a driving licence and to apply for car insurance.

Higgins was sentenced to the mandatory five years in prison for possessing a sawn-off shotgun and a further two years for possessing the CS gas grenade, which will run concurrently.

Detective Constable Dave Bentley of Hereford CID said: "A sawn-off shotgun has only one use and that is in crime. Someone had scratched off the gun's serial numbers and tests proved it was in full working order. They are considered to be valuable among the criminal fraternity and so it's extremely rare to come across a sawn-off shotgun. It was very surprising to find one in Goodrich, which is usually a peaceful place.

"Higgins was extremely irresponsible to leave these dangerous weapons unlocked and insecure in an outhouse where his children lived and they could easily have found them."