Man jailed for three-hour police stand-off with homemade gun in Bellshill

A former factory worker caught hiding his mum’s loft with a submachine gun that he had built has been jailed.

Gordon Smith was held after a three-hour stand-off with police at the bungalow he shared with his mum in Bellshill.

His brother went on to alert officers that the 46-year-old may have been hiding a weapon at the property.

The Sten submachine firearm as well as a “slam fire” gun and almost 700 bullets were then found in the loft he had converted for his bedroom.

It led to Smith appearing at the High Court in Glasgow on Friday.

He was jailed for six years after he pleaded guilty to a number of firearms charges including manufacturing and possessing the submachine gun.

The court heard how Smith had been on bail at the time and told not to go near his mother or enter Bellshill following an earlier incident.

Police turned up at the bungalow on September 30, 2023 to speak to the woman.

It was then they spotted Smith inside. His mum went on to state he had gone up to the loft.

Police checked the attic but could not find him.

The man was sentenced at Glasgow High Court after building his own guns at home. iStock

The woman then said there was a hole in the wall behind a set of drawers giving access to another area.

Back-up was called for and a hiding Smith was ordered to come out.

Prosecutor Ross Price told the court: “He stated they were to ‘get to f***’ and that he would shoot anyone coming into where he was.”

Police retreated and Smith’s mum was also taken outside for safety.

Tense negotiations continued to get Smith out. His brother also tried to help the officers.

Smith claimed he would come down “in his own time”.

He eventually agreed to leave the loft around three hours after police had turned up.

Smith apologised for breaching bail and claimed he had not wanted to leave his mum “alone”.

Mr Price then told the hearing: “(His brother) said he believed Smith may have been in possession of a weapon or firearm.”

The “slamfire” gun was initially found in the loft. The submachine gun was then discovered in the eaves of the attic. A total of 672 bullets were seized.

Other parts of the slamfire weapon were in a garage.

Later quizzed about firearms, Smith claimed he could use them “safely” adding: “It is my right to have them.”

Mr Price described during the hearing the weapons that were found.

Referring to the submachine gun, he said: “It was most likely manufactured from instructions readily available, for example internet resources.”

The gun was not capable of firing in full or semi-automatic modes when found.

Smith had also not been able to get the slamfire weapon to work.

The court heard Smith had been described by relatives as having an “aptitude for technical matters and engineering”.

He had previously built a dirt motorbike from scratch.

Richard Goddard KC, defending, said Smith had had a long-held interest in “field sports” such as shooting and fishing.

Mr Goddard: “It would appear, from that, there developed an interest in firearms.

“He said that the instructions for building (the Sten submachine gun) were available online as were components and tools.

“He did not tell anyone, no one else knew.

“There is no suggestion the weapons were connected with other serious criminality.”

Sentencing, Lord Fairley said Smith had a “significant” record of 31 convictions, but mostly at summary sheriff court level.

The judge: “I have noted that the firearm that you manufactured was not capable of functioning as a semi-automatic or automatic weapon.

“I have also noted the extraordinary circumstances in which you have come to manufacture it and retain those other items.

“All of which on one view is concerning, but, the one crumb of comfort, is that they never seem to have left the property that you shared with your mother.”