Homemade Gun Found on Train Leads to Five-Year Prison Sentence

A man who transformed a staple gun into a functioning firearm and tested it in an open field has been sentenced to five years in prison following an investigation by British Transport Police.

Jamie Young, 45, of Selbourne Close in Kent, was arrested after the weapon was discovered in his luggage while he was travelling by train in March 2024. He later admitted manufacturing the firearm and possessing it, offences to which he pleaded guilty earlier this year.

Young was sentenced at St Albans Crown Court on 8 December after the court heard how the weapon came to light. On the evening of 1 March 2024, an off-duty Metropolitan Police Service officer noticed Young taking drugs on a train in Hertfordshire and alerted authorities.

Police officers removed Young from the service at St Albans City station, where a search of his belongings uncovered a converted staple gun concealed in a pocket of his suitcase. He was arrested at the scene, and officers also seized two mobile phones and a small quantity of crack cocaine found on him.

Specialist examination later confirmed the modified device was a viable firearm, fitted with a barrel capable of firing ammunition. Further investigation of Young’s mobile phones revealed footage of him test firing the weapon in a field, along with a photograph of him posing with it.

During police interview, Young claimed the firearm had been placed in his suitcase months earlier and said he was unaware it was still there until officers discovered it.

British Transport Police said the investigation highlighted the dangers posed by improvised weapons being carried on the railway network.

BTP Detective Constable Agata Barker said:

“Thanks to the sharp actions of the off-duty officer travelling on the train that day, a lethal weapon has been removed from criminal circulation. Only Jamie Young knows what he planned to do with his homemade gun, but if it was used against someone it could have resulted in fatal consequences. From material found on his phones it’s clear he was enamoured with his creation. And now, following our investigation, he has a long stint behind bars to rethink his interests. Anyone carrying weapons on the railway should know that we will find them, and we will ensure they face justice."

Image: British Transport Police