Welcome to Live View – Take the tour to learn more
Start Tour
There is currently 1 person viewing this thread.
A former racehorse trainer has been jailed after police found two live bullets in his desk drawer.
Joseph Birch was found with the ammunition when officers searched the stud farm which he ran with his wife Grit in North Devon in September 2013.
He claimed someone else had put the bullets in the top drawer before it was moved into his office but was jailed after a Judge heard that recent travel documents in his name were found beneath one of them.
Birch, 62, of Horns Cross, Bideford, admitted two charges of possessing ammunition without a certificate and was jailed for six months by Recorder Miss Julia Clayton at Exeter Crown Court.
RELATED CONTENT
VIDEO: John Lewis advert parody pokes fun at Devon and Cornwall divide
Barnstaple teen was forced to live in darkness by her illness
Bottle attack could land Barnstaple man in jail
Abuse hurled at Ilfracombe police after window smash
COUNCIL RICH LIST: Figures show 26 council workers in North Devon, Torridge & Devon earn £100k+
Blackmail and sexual assault charge for 25-year-old woman
VIDEO: Driver filmed speeding and swerving on busy Devon road
The judge also activated an eight month suspended sentence for possession of a firearm which was imposed at Exeter in April 2013.
She told Birch: "This case has to be treated seriously as this ammunition had the potential to be used in a deadly weapon, although no such weapon was found during a search of the premises.
"An aggravating feature is that his was less than six months after the imposition of a suspended sentence for possession of a shotgun without a licence."
The sentence followed a short fact finding hearing, heard without a jury, in which the Judge rejected Birch's claim that the bullets were nothing to do with him.
Richard Shepherd, for the prosecution, said police raided Birch's former home at Higher Lowton Farm, Bondleigh, North Tawton, on September 10, 2013 in connection with an unrelated inquiry.
The two 7.65 mm pistol bullets were found in the top drawer of a desk in a large upstairs office in the main house and Birch claimed he had no idea how they got there.
Detective Constable Paul Dorothy said one bullet was visible as soon as the drawer was opened and the other was covered by some papers.
He said documents found in the drawer included an air ticket and hotel booking in Birch's name dating from a trip to Albania in January 2013.
A Fedex bill from April 2013, a copy of Birch's passport and driving licence, and a document from Citibank were found in other drawers.
Birch said the office had been furnished in 2012 while he was abroad and the desk was moved from the stables, where many other people had access to it.
He said he may have put pieces of paper in the top drawer but had not seen the two bullets when he did so. He said his wife Grit and a cleaner also filed documents in the office.
Birch said the stud farm had 70 to 80 thoroughbreds at the time but had the capacity for more than 130 horses and had an Olympic indoor arena and equine swimming pool.
He said the operation was run by his wife, who was winding it down at the time. He later accepted it was being repossessed by the bank.
Simon Nichol, for the defence, said no firearm capable of discharging the bullets was found and they were probably curios or souvenirs.
Birch received the suspended sentence after police found a shotgun under his bed. He claimed he had found it in a log cabin used at staff accommodation where it had been left by an Irish groom.
About time that idiot got his dues.
Joseph Birch was found with the ammunition when officers searched the stud farm which he ran with his wife Grit in North Devon in September 2013.
He claimed someone else had put the bullets in the top drawer before it was moved into his office but was jailed after a Judge heard that recent travel documents in his name were found beneath one of them.
Birch, 62, of Horns Cross, Bideford, admitted two charges of possessing ammunition without a certificate and was jailed for six months by Recorder Miss Julia Clayton at Exeter Crown Court.
RELATED CONTENT
VIDEO: John Lewis advert parody pokes fun at Devon and Cornwall divide
Barnstaple teen was forced to live in darkness by her illness
Bottle attack could land Barnstaple man in jail
Abuse hurled at Ilfracombe police after window smash
COUNCIL RICH LIST: Figures show 26 council workers in North Devon, Torridge & Devon earn £100k+
Blackmail and sexual assault charge for 25-year-old woman
VIDEO: Driver filmed speeding and swerving on busy Devon road
The judge also activated an eight month suspended sentence for possession of a firearm which was imposed at Exeter in April 2013.
She told Birch: "This case has to be treated seriously as this ammunition had the potential to be used in a deadly weapon, although no such weapon was found during a search of the premises.
"An aggravating feature is that his was less than six months after the imposition of a suspended sentence for possession of a shotgun without a licence."
The sentence followed a short fact finding hearing, heard without a jury, in which the Judge rejected Birch's claim that the bullets were nothing to do with him.
Richard Shepherd, for the prosecution, said police raided Birch's former home at Higher Lowton Farm, Bondleigh, North Tawton, on September 10, 2013 in connection with an unrelated inquiry.
The two 7.65 mm pistol bullets were found in the top drawer of a desk in a large upstairs office in the main house and Birch claimed he had no idea how they got there.
Detective Constable Paul Dorothy said one bullet was visible as soon as the drawer was opened and the other was covered by some papers.
He said documents found in the drawer included an air ticket and hotel booking in Birch's name dating from a trip to Albania in January 2013.
A Fedex bill from April 2013, a copy of Birch's passport and driving licence, and a document from Citibank were found in other drawers.
Birch said the office had been furnished in 2012 while he was abroad and the desk was moved from the stables, where many other people had access to it.
He said he may have put pieces of paper in the top drawer but had not seen the two bullets when he did so. He said his wife Grit and a cleaner also filed documents in the office.
Birch said the stud farm had 70 to 80 thoroughbreds at the time but had the capacity for more than 130 horses and had an Olympic indoor arena and equine swimming pool.
He said the operation was run by his wife, who was winding it down at the time. He later accepted it was being repossessed by the bank.
Simon Nichol, for the defence, said no firearm capable of discharging the bullets was found and they were probably curios or souvenirs.
Birch received the suspended sentence after police found a shotgun under his bed. He claimed he had found it in a log cabin used at staff accommodation where it had been left by an Irish groom.
About time that idiot got his dues.
Show More
Post Your Reply
Please login to post a reply.
Wonder
Instance ID: 13539