Gun Crime Fiends Locked Up for Nearly a Decade
Thomas Connors, 24, from Edgware, Middlesex, has been slammed with a hefty nine years and six months behind bars. His mate Thomas Saunders, of Rayleigh, scored seven years. Both were convicted over a terrifying 2020 shooting incident and sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on 31 March.
Shotgun Blast Shakes Victim’s Home
In the early hours of 9 September 2020, the victim in Hovefields Avenue was jolted awake by gunshots. After a tense verbal showdown with Saunders at his front door, the thug stomped off. But chaos was left in his wake — the man’s living room window was smashed, alongside broken windows on a caravan and a car parked on the property.
Police Grab Stolen Guns After Raids
Officers swooped on Saunders’ home the next day, executing a search warrant. They uncovered a shotgun plus two other firearms stashed in a nearby wooded area. Shockingly, the shotgun was stolen eight months earlier in a Layer-de-la-Haye burglary. Forensic tests linked both men to the crime via a car connected to the attack.
Bad Boys Nabbed After Police Chase
On 19 October 2020, Connors and Saunders were spotted cruising Twickenham High Street. Cops pursued and arrested them after a short chase — Connors was caught driving on a provisional licence.
“The court has jailed both men for substantial periods of time, which shows how seriously they view these offences,” said Detective Sergeant Steve Robson of Essex Police’s Serious Organised Crime Unit.
“This is a fantastic result. Not only has it taken two dangerous offenders and three firearms off our streets, it shows even organised criminals aren’t beyond the law.
“We don’t tolerate criminals who use guns, thankfully no-one was hurt. We spent a good deal of time tracking down Connors and Saunders to bring them to justice. The three guns seized will be destroyed.”
Sentences Stack Up Against Connors and Saunders
- Connors was jailed for seven years for encouraging offences, plus one year for criminal damage and six months for dangerous driving. He’s banned from driving for two years post-release and must pass an extended driving test.
- Additionally, Connors received two years consecutive for aggravated burglary and two more years concurrent for three other burglaries, related to separate Metropolitan Police investigations.
- Saunders got seven years for possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, plus one year concurrent for criminal damage.
Justice has slammed the door on these two armed criminals, sending a powerful message that gun crime will not be tolerated on UK streets.
