A British Aerospace engineer from Durham has been cleared at Belfast Crown Court of conspiring with his brother in Northern Ireland to manufacture sub machineguns. But he was convicted of having unlawful possession of Sten magazines, ammunition and primers and was fined £1,000.
Desmond Leslie Lindop (43), from Arisaig Ouston, Chesterle Street, was arrested on April 13th last year in a car park near his brother's home in Holywood, Co Down. Twelve Sten magazines, 400 bullets and 1,000 primers were found in the boot of the car.
Lindop claimed in evidence that he had brought them to Northern Ireland for his brother and believed his possession of them was covered by his firearms certificate.
In the home of Mr Denis Hugh Lindop (47), the RUC found what the judge described as a "veritable Aladdin's Cave" of arms, ammunition and gun components plus an arms factory.