Stratford man caught in stolen car after collecting illegal firearms from Sheffield

A STRATFORD man has been found guilty of firearms offences after travelling to Sheffield to collect three weapons.

Joseph Steele, 34, of Brewery Street, Stratford, and Shera Virk, 24, of Golf Lane, Leamington, were both convicted of three counts of possession of a firearm and one charge of possession of ammunition.

South Yorkshire Police said the pair travelled from Warwickshire to Sheffield on 30th March last year. However, after they got the weapons they were stopped by police in Nottinghamshire as they were in a stolen vehicle.

Officers found the firearms, which had been converted from blank firing into viable weapons.

On Friday (22nd November) Steele and Virk were found guilty of all charges following a three-week trial at Sheffield Crown Court.

Both were remanded into custody and will be sentenced at a later date.

South Yorkshire Police said its investigation into the illegal conversion of blank firing weapons and ammunition has previously led to four men being convicted and awaiting sentencing.

Zakaria West, 29, of Tythe Barn Way, Sheffield, pleaded guilty to conspiring to sell or transfer prohibited weapons and conspiring to manufacture, sell or transfer ammunition.

Arron Ward, 30, of Smelter Wood Crescent, Sheffield, was found guilty of the same offences following a trial in October 2024. At the same trial, Danny Milner, of Gresley Walk, Sheffield, was also found guilty of conspiring to sell or transfer prohibited weapons.

Andrew Loton, 35, of Bramshill Close, Sheffield, also pleaded guilty to conspiring to sell or transfer prohibited weapons and conspiring to manufacture, sell or transfer ammunition at an earlier hearing.