Man jailed after sinister discovery found in his cellar

-Credit:West Yorkshire Police
-Credit:West Yorkshire Police


A man was caught with a deadly and loaded "battlefield" weapon when police raided his Leeds home following his arrest for unrelated offences.

West Yorkshire Police officers searched Kane Clarke Kelsall Road home in Hyde Park, on November 20 last year, and found a "military grade" AK-47 along with 30 rounds of live ammunition. The force says Clarke, 27, said he was "holding the weapon for others who he was not prepared to give details about."

The AK-47 is an automatic weapon developed in the Soviet Union which can fire 600 rounds a minute. It can hit targets up to 350m away.

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The AK-47 police found in Clarke's home -Credit:West Yorkshire Police
The AK-47 police found in Clarke's home -Credit:West Yorkshire Police

Clarke gave no replies when interviewed by officers about the weapon. He was charged with possession of a prohibited automatic weapon and possession of 30 rounds of 7.62x39mm ammunition, and admitted both offences at Leeds Crown Court on December 19.

On Wednesday, January 22, Clarke was jailed for five years.

The weapon was found with a loaded magazine -Credit:West Yorkshire Police
The weapon was found with a loaded magazine -Credit:West Yorkshire Police

Detective Inspector John Graham, who leads the Leeds District Leeds District Programme Precision Team - a specialist team of detectives who investigate serious and organised crime - said after the hearing: "“It is extremely rare for firearms of this type to be found in circulation and thankfully this one has now been taken off the streets.

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“We hope the significant prison term that he has received will provide some reassurance to the community and remind those who involve themselves in this type of crime of the penalties they can expect.”

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