Man Given Five Years in Jail for Lowestoft Firearm Offence

Police are reminding people to remain vigilant and always report anything suspicious after a man was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for a firearm offence in Suffolk.

It was last summer, when on the 28th July, Suffolk Constabulary and the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, disrupted the illegal activities of Clinton Hicks of Normanshurst Close in Lowestoft.

Hicks was arrested at his home address for a firearms offence by Suffolk Constabulary in a pre-planned operation in which they recovered a ‘converted’ firearm and he was later charged. 

During the search of the address by Suffolk officers, a quantity of various chemicals were also discovered. As a result, detectives from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command were called to carry out further enquiries but no related offences were identified.

On the first day of his trial at Ipswich Crown Court in January, Hicks pleaded guilty to the charge of possession of a prohibited firearm  - and last week he was sentenced to a total of five years imprisonment.

Superintendent Paul Sharp, Policing Commander for the Lowestoft area, said: "This incident last July caused a great deal of disruption for local residents in the area at the time so it is pleasing to see Hicks given this sentence. I once again thank those affected for their patience and understanding during the course of the incident whilst properties were evacuated and roads closed.”

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