Armourer Jailed Over Deadly Gun Conversions and Meth Plot
An armourer who turned blank-firing guns into lethal firearms and planned to cook crystal meth in the Lake District has been locked up for more than 22 years. Dudley Brennan, 31, was sentenced to 22 years and three months after a National Crime Agency (NCA) crackdown.
Deadly Crime Duo Behind Gun Conversion Ring
Brennan ran a motorcycle repair shop in Kendal as a front for his illegal work. He converted at least two submachine guns and several pistols from blank-firing models, flooding the criminal underworld with deadly weapons. He partnered with Liverpool crime boss Peter Weston, 40, who masterminded the operation across Cumbria and Somerset.
Together, they converted 17 top-venting blank firearms (TVBFs) for use in violent turf wars. Police have recovered 12 of the weapons so far, with investigations ongoing to find the rest.
Sentences Slash Crime Gang
- Dudley Brennan – 22 years 3 months
- Peter Weston – 26 years 9 months
- Ryan Pilling – 13 years 7 months
- Daniel Fitzgerald – 8 years
- Joshua Ee, 27, Doncaster – 13 years 6 months
Weston acted as the gang’s sales broker, connecting buyers to Brennan’s deadly creations. Ryan Pilling and Daniel Fitzgerald helped run the firearms business, with Fitzgerald ordering the guns online for conversion.
NCA Praises Crackdown on Gun and Drug Gang
The NCA labelled the gang a serious threat to public safety and praised officers responsible for dismantling the weapons trade and drug manufacturing plans.
