A 17-year-old boy has been jailed after a firearm "capable of killing somebody" was found stashed inside a car door in Stoke-on-Trent. 

Officers from Staffordshire Police stopped a Fiat Punto in Weston Coyney on 24 June last year following reports it was being driven erratically.  

During a search of the car, a handgun and bullets were found by police inside a cavity in the driver's door. DNA checks on the gun's trigger and guard area returned matches for the boy, who was then charged and taken to court.

The boy, from Cannock, who cannot be named for legal reasons because of his age, was sentenced to 40-months imprisonment at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Thursday (13 March) after he previously admitted possession of a firearm and possessing ammunition for a firearm without a certificate.

Detective Sergeant Marc Proctor said: "This weapon was capable of killing somebody and has been taken off our streets through some good proactive policing.

"I want local communities to know that we're working extremely hard every single day to compile intelligence and to act robustly against the gangs and individuals responsible for serious offences like this across Staffordshire.

"More than 1,000 people have been arrested on suspicion of drug and weapon offences since we launched our crackdown in May 2023, and more will follow as we continue to take action."

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