23rd April, 2024
London man, Jade Charles, 35 has been sentenced to five years in prison for being in possession of illegal firearm during the Notting Hill Carnival.
Teamwork from Met and City of London Police officers at last year’s Notting Hill Carnival led to them seizing a firearm in a bum-bag.
Charles of Saltram Crescent W9, appeared at Southwark Crown Court in September 2023, where he pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition.
He was sentenced at the same on Friday, 19 April.
Detective Constable Andrew Payne, the investigating officer from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said the loaded firearm in Charles’ possession put innocent members of the public at risk on what is known as ‘Children’s Day’ at Carnival.
Payne said its recovery had no doubt prevented it from being used to commit violent offences on the streets.
The police reports that on 27 August, 2023 officers working on the security operation observed a man via CCTV in Ashmore Road W9 and, peculiarly, noticed he had left a bum-bag at the location.
They said officers from the City of London Police were deployed and they found a Glock pistol with ammunition in the bag, adding that after identifying Charles as the owner he was arrested nearby and taken into custody.
DC Payne added this was an excellent example of officers painstakingly viewing live images looking for things that are suspicious and reading body language, saying that in this case it has led to lives potentially being saved.