Hornchurch Man Nabbed for Homemade Firearms Arsenal
Raymond Frederick Nugent, 73, didn’t just collect guns—he built them from scratch. Using cardboard templates and custom-designed firing mechanisms, Nugent crafted deadly weapons in his own workshop. But thanks to a tip-off from the National Crime Agency (NCA), police stormed his Hornchurch home and found a terrifying cache.
7½ Years Behind Bars for DIY Gun Maker
On Friday 20 January, Nugent was jailed for seven and a half years at Snaresbrook Crown Court after being convicted of 45 firearms offences. The explosives and firearms were uncovered during a 2018 raid, following intelligence that Nugent imported a blank-firing weapon from the Czech Republic.
Police found safes stuffed with carefully wrapped firearms and ammunition. Many were homemade, fashioned with drills and vices. Experts revealed one of Nugent’s crafted guns packed 25% more firepower than factory models of a similar calibre.
Deadly Arsenal Included Reactivated and Converted Weapons
- Deactivated weapons turned back to firing condition
- A stun gun
- An Italian Bruni Model ME.38 calibre revolver
- A Turkish Atak 914 self-loading 9mm pistol
- Blank ammunition converted into live rounds
Nugent called himself a “gun nut” during questioning but claimed he had no plans to sell or fire the weapons. Despite this, authorities labelled the stash as incredibly dangerous and capable of serious harm in the wrong hands.
Police Praise Teamwork That Cracked the Case
“Though no associated criminality was linked to Nugent, the lethal arsenal could have caused serious harm,” said Detective Superintendent Victoria Sullivan of Specialist Crime.
“We brought Nugent to justice thanks to fast work with the National Crime Agency,” she added. “The judge also commended our investigating officer’s efforts.”
Detective Sergeant Andy Henderson vowed: “We will arrest and prosecute anyone making dangerous weapons. Nugent was lucky to avoid injury during production—this is a risky business.”
The weapons will be destroyed once all legal processes are completed.
