A ruthless criminal who organised the supply of a lethal prohibited British military pistol and ammunition to underworld connections has been jailed for 10 years.

A judge handed 34-year-old Dion Williams the maximum term of imprisonment for such a crime.

She also described him as "a major player" in the enterprise to source the World War One Colt weapon and 49 bullets for fellow criminal Spencer Tapper.

Tapper travelled from London to Kent to collect the self-loading, automatic pistol from Williams on February 19, 2017.

But the plot to use it to commit what was described at Maidstone Crown Court today in "significant criminality" was foiled when police stopped Tapper in a two-car convoy on the M2 motorway as he headed back to London.

The gun and bullets were found in the boot of one of the vehicles

Tapper, 38, was jailed in February last year for 15 years for various firearm offences, alongside three accomplices sentenced to almost 15 years between them.

Williams, from Broadstairs, had denied any involvement in sourcing and supplying the Colt 0.455mm calibre pistol, described by Judge Adele Williams as being in "good working order and capable of discharging lethal force".

But he was convicted of possessing a prohibited firearm and possessing ammunition without a firearm certificate following a trial.

The court heard Williams fled to Spain after Tapper's arrest and was not apprehended until September last year on his return to the UK.

He had also committed the offences while on licence from a 10-year jail term imposed in 2009 for various crimes.

These included springing an armed robber from a prison van on its way to Barking Magistrates' Court.

Just weeks later he attempted to rob a cash-in-transit van while armed with an imitation firearm.

Williams was also jailed for three-and-a-half years in 2007 for wounding, and has further convictions for robbery and possessing offensive weapons.

Imposing his latest prison sentences, Judge Williams said he had been convicted on compelling evidence, adding it was necessary to impose the maximum 10-year term.

She told Williams he was involved in both extensive phone contact with Tapper and the 'elaborate arrangements' to transfer the firearm and ammunition to him.

"I have no doubt it was being transferred to Tapper so it could be used in significant criminality in the London/Essex area where it could be used to threaten, injure or kill," added the judge.

"Your intention was to supply the gun and ammunition to Tapper for use in crime in this way.

"You were a major player in this enterprise. This was professional crime. You are a ruthless, highly manipulative and arrogant man without conscience."

Tapper, an electrician from Dagenham, Essex, has previous convictions for firearm, robbery and drug offences.

Detective Inspector Glenn Butler, of the Metropolitan Police Trident Command, said: "This was a complex investigation that was driven by a wealth of intelligence secured by Trident officers.

"It resulted in the organised criminals involved in the illegal supply and possession of firearms and ammunition being targeted.

"The firearm and ammunition recovered in this case were undoubtedly destined for the streets of London and thanks to the work of the team, they have now been removed."

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