Chanelle Merryweather, 17, faced a minimum of three years in jail for concealing the Browning pistol containing two bullets.
Preston Crown Court heard she was 16 when she and her co-accused Sammy Geldard, 19, were stopped and searched by police in Ardwick.
The pair, who were not in a relationship, were walking along Stockport Road at 8.30pm on April 30 when Geldard spotted two police officers on bikes and asked her to hide the weapon he was carrying.
A member of the public witnessed the transaction and alerted police, who searched the pair and discovered the weapon. Both pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited firearm and ammunition.
Full and frank admission
Stella Harris, defending Merryweather, said she was 'not affiliated or a member of any gang' and had been remanded into custody 'for her own safety' after making a 'full and frank admission' to detectives and becoming a prosecution witness.
Merryweather, a former pupil of Whalley Range High School for Girls, has moved away from Manchester, leaving friends and family behind in order to start a new life a 'considerable distance away', the court heard.
The judge said that although Merryweather withdrew her claim that she was under duress to take the gun, he was satisfied she was 'under some pressure to look after the weapon by Geldard, a man with some unsavoury connections'.
He said: "I don't consider a custodial sentence is appropriate in this exceptional case and I've every confidence this experience will teach Merryweather the importance of avoiding people such as Geldard and leading a wholesome life in the future."
Judge Steiger imposed a two-year supervision order and a six-month curfew between the hours of 9pm and 6am on Merryweather. Geldard, believed to be a member of the Longsight Crew, was jailed for five years for possessing a prohibited firearm. No separate penalty was imposed for possessing ammunition. Tweet
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Unbelievable.
Flabbergasted...look at the lugs on the lad.
they let her go! no jail for having a gun yet a silly boy faces jail for weeing on a war memorial, pitiful. i know the boy has to be punished but these sort of sentences are getting silly now.
guten tag.is it really that unbelievable nower days? the woman with all the bomb making info etc walks free yesterday.now this girl with a gun walks free, god help the lad who urinated on the war memorial i can see him getting at least six months for that.
And I said a few months ago when this case was first brought up that 3 years was too harsh. I cannot believe she has walked away free. No wonder the police give up. I hope she isn't on benefits. That would be the icing on the cake.
Coorection to my comment - I didn't mean too harsh - I meant too lenient.
Is the sentence for being in possession of a fiearm not five years in prison. This is not an exceptional case. There is no excuse for have a loaded gun in your handbag.
I wonder where they were going with the gun and if they were about to use it?
You can get away with most criminal offences in the UK that is why it is such an attractive place for criminals to thrive. If you commit a crime make sure it is a serious one and you will get away with it or get a light sentence. If you commit a trivial crime you will be fined or gaoled.
Once again british law has shown the world what idiots we have running the country and its laws.ive got total contempt for our laws and what they dont do.
Colin the pie: "There is no excuse for have a loaded gun in your handbag."
I'm sure there are a few rape victims who would beg to differ.
black flag what kinda comment is that? do you want to turn our streets even more like america? are u saying we should all bear arms just in case !colin the pie is right there is no excuse to carry a loaded gun with you or a knife or any other weapon.
bat 21 spot on. Urinate in the street and you face corporal punishment and incarceration for 2-10 years. Carry bomb making instructions or a loaded gun and you walk free. This is modern Britain under The Labour Party i'm afraid, supporters of crime and victimisation of the victims is order of the day.
bat 21, yes I think that people should be able to defend themselves against violent criminals.
Unlike you, I'm not the kind of person who puts the well-being of the aggressor above the well-being of the victim.
black flag. what im saying is if you allow everyone to carry a weapon violent crime will soar even higher,how is that putting the well being of the aggressor above the well being of the victim?
It is a disgrace, she knew that carrying a gun was wrong and still did it.
I'll bet the idea of duress was a solicitor's!
It seems the British public have lost the concept of telling the truth.
So the Gangsters are correct in assuming if they let their girlfriends or younger gang members hide their guns everything will be fine. Hmmm and somebody who looked at her boyfriend the wrong way that night could have been killed. Ah well its the UK.
hmmmm.......a terrorist who was caught at tha airport walks free...........a gangsters girlfriend gets caught with a gun walks free.......what ever next if they ever catch osma bin laden are we going to throw a street party for him?........pathectic.........this country has gone to the dogs
"So the Gangsters are correct in assuming if they let their girlfriends or younger gang members hide their guns everything will be fine"
In fact the article states that the gangster in question got a five year sentence, so fine for us, less so for him. Since he recieved this, in part, due to the testimony of this woman and if the court determined that she does intend to avoid that kind of life style in future the sentence may be justified.
My god, she's beautiful
I wonder where they were going with the gun and if they were about to use it? You can get away with most criminal offences in the UK that is why it is such an attractive place for criminals to thrive. If you commit a crime make sure it is a serious one and you will get away with it or get a light sentence. If you commit a trivial crime you will be fined or gaoled.
Redberry, Manchester
Agreed. And more so if you are a righ white guy who steals millions from either the tax paying public or your own employer. Or even if yu are a rich white solicitor who beats the crap out of his wife and mother in law. I strangely dont remember reading much on here about that. In fact, the businessman a few months ago who embezzled shed loads of cash from his firm to pay for strippers received a ot of sympathy on this board if I remember correctly. Everybody here is right. This country is in a mixed up state.
Wow what a honey...no wonder those gangster boys used her as a Link
Persepolis Young
I bet your mum thinks that you are beautiful also.
My god, she's only 17? She must have had a really hard life - she looks at least 30!!
If this gun had of reached its destination who knows what would have happend. Maybe one of these useless judges may have been the target. I dout it so its alright to carry it!
To this end, BNP crime and justice policy will:
- Free the police and courts from the politically correct straitjacket which is stopping them from doing their jobs properly;
- End the liberal fixation with the “rights” of criminals and replace it with concern for the rights of victims – and the right of innocent people not to become victims;
- Re-introduce corporal punishment for petty criminals and vandals;
- Restore capital punishment for paedophiles, terrorists and murderers as an option for judges in cases where their guilt is proven beyond dispute (such as with DNA or other compelling evidence).
At the same time, the BNP recognises that decades of social welfare dependence – encouraged by disastrous Labour and Tory policies – which is the primary cause of social delinquency, must be brought to an end.