TWO Bradford men have been given lengthy jail sentences after they were convicted of firearms conspiracy offences.

Paul Nriapia, 58, and Joseph McCrory, 36, were imprisoned for seven years and three months and six years and four months respectively, after a loaded revolver was found in the boot of Nriapia's car.

A third man, 38-year-old Brian Hanley, of Deneside Terrace, Bankfoot, Bradford, was found not guilty, by a jury at Bradford Crown Court, of charges of conspiracy to possess a firearm and ammunition, which he had denied Nriapia, of Beacon Place, Buttershaw, was convicted of the same two charges. McCrory, of Newlands Avenue, Fagley, was found guilty of the ammunition charge but had admitted the charge of conspiracy to possess a firearm. He claimed he did not know the gun was loaded.

The jury was told that an Olympic model 38 revolver, wrapped in a tea towel, cloth and three supermarket bags, was found in Nriapia's Ford Focus last December. The gun was loaded with five rounds of .380 calibre bullets capable of causing serious injury or death.

Prosecutor Tom Storey said the weapon had been converted to fire live ammunition and was "ready for use by whoever chose to fire it."

Mr Storey told the jury the prosecution could not say for sure what the ultimate plan was in relation to the revolver, but it was reasonable to infer that the defeandants were going to supply it to someone.

He said Nriapia and a fourth man, Nigel Harrison, who had pleaded guilty to the offences, had wrapped the firearm and Nriapia had put it in the car.

After the case, Detective Chief Inspector Warren Stevenson, of West Yorkshire Police's Protective Services Crime department, said: "Matters involving firearms are taken very seriously by the police and the courts and we welcome these sentences.

"We hope this sends out a message to others that if you are involved in their use or possession, you will be caught and will almost certainly receive a substantial prison sentence.

"West Yorkshire Police takes a proactive approach to removing firearms from our streets to ensure our communities can remain safer places."

He added: "Anyone with information about those involved in the use of firearms can call us on 101, or pass information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111."