Three stand trial over gun hidden in microwave

(CNS): Two men and one woman appeared in the Grand Court dock Monday facing a joint charge of possession of an unlicensed firearm. The jury heard that Andy Barnes, Yannick McLaughlin and Amber Patricia Yates were all present at an apartment in Crewe Road when police executed a search warrant in the process of an investigation in March 2016. Crown prosecutor Scott Wainwright told the court that during the search police officers found a loaded .38 revolver behind a grill at the back of a microwave.

All three were arrested and later charged based on forensic evidence and admissions, Wainwright said, as he opened the case for the jury Monday.

He said that Barnes’ DNA was found on several parts of the weapon, including the trigger and grip, while Yates’ DNA was found on just the grip. No prints or DNA from McLaughlin were found on the weapon, but during a police interview he said Barnes and Yates had the gun while he was in a car with them and he had handled it. Barnes denied having any connection to the gun, stating that it belonged to McLaughlin, but when he had thrown it into Barnes’ room, he had hidden the weapon. Meanwhile, Yates simply denied ever seeing or touching the gun.

The case which continues before visiting judge, Justice Wood, with defence attorneys John Furniss representing McLaughlin, Crister Brady representing Barnes and John Hughes representing Yates.