A LOADED revolver, which had been converted to fire live ammunition, was found in the boot of a car in Bradford, a jury has been told.

Three Bradford men are on trial at Bradford Crown Court on charges of conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon and ammunition.

Prosecutor Tom Storey has alleged the defendants were “involved in a conspiracy relating to the movement of a firearm, on a day last December, almost certainly with the intention of providing it to others, no doubt for the furtherance of some other criminal enterprise.”

Paul Nriapia, 58, of Beacon Place, Buttershaw; Brian Hanley, 38, of Deneside Terrace, Bankfoot; and Joseph McCrory, 36, of Newlands Avenue, Fagley, all plead not guilty to conspiracy to possess ammunition. Nriapia and Hanley also deny conspiracy to possess a firearm. Mr Storey told the jury McCrory had admitted that charge.

The prosecutor said they had been charged with a fourth man, Nigel Harrison, who had pleaded guilty to the offences.

Mr Storey said that on December 16 last year police were carrying out observations on Nriapia’s home when McCrory left the address and drove off in Nriapia’s Ford Focus. He picked up Hanley from his home and they drove to Hull, where the prosecution say they met someone. Later they drove back to Bradford and spoke with Nriapia.

The Ford Focus was searched by police. In the boot they found a black revolver, wrapped inside a white cloth, a tea towel and three supermarket bags.

Mr Storey said the revolver was found to be an Olympic model 38 revolver with five chambers, each containing a round of ammunition, .380 calibre bullets capable of causing serious injury or death.

He added: “It was found on further examination that the revolver had originally been a blank firing revolver which had been converted to enable it to fire bulleted ammunition. The revolver was in working order and suitable for use with the cartridges it contained; these in turn were found to be live ammunition, capable of being discharged. In other words, this firearm was in a state where it was loaded and ready for use by whoever chose to fire it.”

He claimed Harrison and Nriapia were involved in wrapping the firearm; the observation evidence pointed to Nriapia placing the firearm in his vehicle. He said it was inconceivable that McCrory and Hanley were not aware of what it was.

McCrory and Hanley told police they knew nothing about the firearm. Giving evidence yesterday, Nriapia told the jury he had never seen the firearm before his arrest and had never possessed it. He said he had not discussed the gun with McCrory and had not put it in the car.

The trial continues.