Co Down man ‘caught with gun he made at home with 3D printer’ refused bail

A MAN from Newtownards has been remanded in custody after police say he was discovered with a semi-automatic weapon he made at home with a 3D printer.
Kurtis Graham (21), with an address at Ravara Close in the town and who has no previous record, was also charged with having around 100 rounds of ammunition and a silencer.

Graham faces seven charges in total, including having drugs with intent to supply.
The court was told that while the accused lived at home with his mother, he spent long periods at the address alone. As well as police claiming he had a 3D printed semi-automat-ic pistol, the Co Down man was also charged with having two CS gas canisters, which had been “designed or adapted for the discharge of electricity or any noxious liquid, gas or other thing”.
He was further charged with possession of a Class B drug, namely cannabis, and possession of Class A drugs, namely LSD and MDMA, with intent to supply.
Appearing at Newtownards Magistrates Court via videolink, a police officer confirmed he could connect the accused to the charges. The officer said that police originally stopped the accused on September 2 last year when he was found to be in possession of cannabis. As a result, officers obtained a search warrant and Graham was placed on police bail pending further enquiries.

The court heard the weapons were not found in the original search, but a computer was seized and when examined showed a search history on how to make 3D weapons.
On January 15, a further search was carried out and at that stage drugs were discovered, and hidden behind a kitchen kickboard was a FGC9 3D printed weapon.
The weapon’s name stands for F*** Gun Control. The weapon is designed to an online specification using 3D printed parts and other metal items. The court was told that the accused had sourced metal barrels from China that were also discovered during the search. Graham was also said to have ordered a Remington airsoft weapon, seized at Customs, that was.4 of a joule over the legal limit.

A 3D printer and the filament used in the machine was also recovered by police.
There were around 100 rounds of 9mm ammunition and two CS gas canisters along with the sizable amount of drugs removed from the property, the court heard.
Judge Mark Hamill asked to see pictures of the items seized. He refused bail saying the drugs and firearms charges “could not be separated”. Graham was remanded in custody to appear at Newtownards court via videolink in February. While 3D printed weapons have been seized in England, this is thought to be the first seizure of a fully assembled gun in Northern Ireland.

by NoNeedleworker5437