Gunsmith who posed as Jason Bourne and Jack Bauer gets at least seven years in jail

A MAN who ran a gun factory in Bardfield Saling has been given a minimum seven-year sentence at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Writer Paul Alexander, 58, was arrested by Essex Police on September 17, 2008 following a raid at a house on Plums Lane.

Police discovered a gun factory equipped to convert replica and decommissioned guns in to lethal firearms as well as a small cannabis factory.

Approximately 30 firearms, including handguns and rifles were found in a workshop contained in an outbuilding.

Described as a 'dealer in death' Alexander, from Sydney Place in Bath, Somerset, previously admitted charges of converting an imitation firearm into a firearm, two counts of possessing a firearm/ammunition with intent to endanger life, possessing/purchasing or acquiring/manufacturing/selling or transferring prohibited ammunition, cultivating cannabis and acquiring/using/possessing criminal property.

At Chelmsford Crown Court on Monday September 21 he was remanded in court custody prior to sentencing which took place last Friday, November 6.

Alexander, who had used alias names such as Jason Bourne and Jack Bauer to evade police, was given an indeterminate sentence with a minimum of seven years.

Senior investigating officer, Det Supt John Quinton, said: "This was a long and complex enquiry which involved the identification of over 18 linked offences involving weapons and ammunition; including one murder, four attempted murders and the criminal discharge of firearms.

"We worked closely with SOCA after identifying Paul Alexander as a significant supplier of firearms to drug gangs. We recovered 28 weapons which would have been used in violent crime in communities that are already blighted by gun crime. He had the capacity to produce even more. The guns that he helped place in circulation will long be used to commit crime, probably even after he finishes serving his sentence.