Manbag-carrying Birmingham gunman caught and jailed after DNA found on weapon

A gunman carrying ammunition in a manbag was linked to a dangerous weapon recovered in a Birmingham street thanks to DNA evidence. A gun was recovered by a sniffer dog moments after a second man, Martin MacDonald, was seen brandishing the loaded weapon in Lyttelton Road, Stechford on Wednesday, November 1, last year.

Armed police were called to the street and repeatedly shouted at MacDonald to ‘get on the floor’ as he tried to get away before telling him to get on his stomach. The 42-year-old of Station Road, Stechford responded by saying ‘what are you doing bruv’ and ‘hey bruv, what have I done’ before being detained.

Moments later sniffer dog, PD Meghan, found the gun which had been dropped behind a wall on a householder’s drive. MacDonald was jailed for five years and one month for possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

Read more: Gunman who sparked armed police response as he brandished pistol is jailed

But not satisfied with one conviction, West Midlands Police continued its investigation and found someone else’s DNA on the 9mm gun – originally a black-firing pistol which had been converted to fire live ammunition.

The gun had two rounds of ammunition in it and the DNA led police to Mohammed Ajaz who was carrying a manbag at the time of his arrest. Within the bag, Ajaz had eight viable rounds of ammunition on him.

Ajaz, of Lyttelton Road, Stechford, went on to admit possession of a firearm and ammunition, and was jailed for six years and one month last Tuesday. A police spokesman added: “We’re committed to tackling serious and organised crime under Operation Target, which sees our officers working 24/7 to tackle those involved in guns, drugs, money laundering and exploitation.”