Jewellery thief caught with gun and ammunition in police sting near hotel

A convicted jewellery thief was caught with a gun, ammunition and dirty money linked to serious organised crime.

Jason Britton, 34, was caught by police after a sting near Glasgow’s Hilton hotel on December 2 last year.

Britton, from Manchester, was in the company of Cade Johnson, 28, of Bury, who has previously been involved in a firearms plot.

Court papers state Britton had a converted Zoraki model 917-B self-loading pistol on Newton Street.

Britton was also found with modified .380 auto bulleted cartridges without lawful authority or a reasonable excuse.

Another charge says Britton acquired and possessed criminal property, which was £10,285.

Johnson pleaded guilty at the High Court in Glasgow to a separate indictment of breaching a serious crime prevention order granted in December 2019.

The charge says that Johnson flouted the order by entering Scotland and failed to tell the police of his intended travel and arrangements.

Britton was jailed for five years and ten months in 2015 after he was part of a gang that committed a £230,000 armed heist at Glasgow’s Argyll Arcade.

The gang made off with high-value watches from the Rox store.

They were caught when two friends were seen wearing the stolen watches.

Johnson was sentenced to five years and nine months in 2019 for being part of a serious organised crime conspiracy in Glasgow.

Johnson and two others were caught after officers discovered a fake parcel designed to conceal a pistol, which was addressed to a vets’ practice in the city’s Forge Retail Park.

The trio, who were staying at an Airbnb in the city’s Parkhead, were found by armed police in a Mercedes car which contained a balaclava, £1,000 of counterfeit notes and two full cans of petrol.

Officers also recovered Royal Mail uniforms and bags, as well as Glasgow city hi-vis vests, as part of their investigation.

Johnson featured on the indictment Britton pleaded guilty but his pleas of not guilty to those charges were accepted by the Crown.

This included the £10,285 criminal money charge and having counterfeit notes.

Britton’s not guilty charges on the indictment included further firearm and ammunition charges, having counterfeit notes, possession of cannabis and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Marcus Taylor, 28, of Salford, who also featured on the £10,285 criminal money charge and counterfeit cash allegation, had his not guilty pleas accepted by the Crown.

The sentence was deferred pending background reports until November, when more information surrounding the circumstances will be heard.

Judge Lord Scott continued Britton and Johnson’s remand in custody.