Man who made and supplied deadly firearms from Birmingham homes is jailed

A man who produced and supplied improvised firearms in Birmingham and London has been jailed for nearly 13 years. Police discovered a converted blank firing pistol – hidden behind a shoulder bag in the back garden of a house on Headingley Road, Handsworth, where Kemarn Riley was living - when they went to investigate a report of criminal damage, last January.

The shoulder bag contained two live shotgun shells and another bag found in the garden contained two metal pipes, which officers suspected could be combined to make a ‘slam gun’. A slam gun consists of a pipe that can contain a shotgun shell, which when another pipe is inserted, discharges through a sliding and slamming motion by the user.

The weapons, ammunition and bags were seized from the property for analysis and were forensically linked to Riley, 24.

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In February, another slam gun was recovered from a vehicle in Handsworth. Riley was not present when the weapon was seized but when analysed it was traced back to him.

This led police to believe that he was involved in supplying as well as making these deadly devices. Riley was arrested at his new home address on Asquith Road, Ward End, on 28 February after he moved there shortly after the discovery of the weapons and ammunition at his previous residence on Headingley Road in January.

During a search of his room while making the arrest, we recovered a bag containing imitation firearms, shotgun cartridges and metal pipes, similar to the ones discovered earlier used to make slam guns. Other items including his phone were also seized.

An examination of Riley’s phone uncovered messages, images and searches that suggested he was involved in the sale of firearms. When questioned in custody, Riley admitted to purchasing pipes for an associate but claimed to have no knowledge of their intended use.

In March 2023, officers from the Metropolitan Police got in touch about viable firearms they had seized in the capital around the same time the discoveries were made in Birmingham. These were likewise slam guns of a similar description and were also forensically linked to Riley.

Riley said 'no comment' with regard to the sale of weapons but subsequently pleaded guilty to the possession charges relating to the weapons seized in Birmingham in January last year.

Riley of Ward End, Birmingham was sentenced to 12 years and nine months for the manufacture of a weapon and ammunition at Birmingham Crown Court last Thursday (2 May). Riley also received five years each for two counts of possession of a firearm. His sentences will run concurrently.

Investigations Officer PC Owen Zambra from our Major Crime Unit said: “We built a strong case against Kemarn Riley and are pleased with this result. The message is clear that we won’t tolerate anyone profiting from the production and supply of illegal firearms.

“These weapons can maim and kill, and they’re supplied to criminals who use them to intimidate and elicit fear in others. We’re working hard to take these weapons off our streets and put those involved in trading them like Riley behind bars.”