Police release video of man snorting cocaine from shotgun barrel after 'untouchable' trio jailed

Police in England have released mobile phone footage of a man snorting cocaine from the barrel of a sawn-off shotgun which helped to convict him and two teenagers of firearm offences.

Merseyside Police said that Malcolm Graham, 19, Lewis Clarke, 18, and 22-year-old Adam Mercer had believed they were "untouchable" before being convicted of a series of offences at Liverpool Crown Court.

Photographs, video and DNA had linked both Graham and Clarke to a Baikal self-loading pistol that only three weeks before coming into their possession had been used to murder 17-year-old Kevin Wilson, who was shot in the back on Smithdown Road in Wavertree in February 2015.

The men, who were jailed for 21-and-a-half years in total, can be seen in photographs wearing masks and posing with weapons on phones owned by Graham and Clarke while Mercer was videoed snorting the Class A drug.

Other pictures released by police show the guns laid out on the floor.

Merseyside Police said the force remained committed to "taking those involved in gun crime off the streets" and that the sentencing of the trio sent out a clear message to offenders.

Following the hearing, Detective Inspector Richie Jones said: "They use fear, violence and intimidation to get what they want and think they can do what they want without any comeback.

"They couldn't be more wrong and I would like to reassure the public that Merseyside Police is committed to taking people like Graham and his associates off our streets, but we need the information to help us do that."

Graham, of Albert Road, Southport, was sentenced to 11 years for possession of a prohibited firearm - the Baikal self-loading pistol - possession of a firearm without a firearms certificate and possession of ammunition without a firearms certificate.

He was also sentenced for two counts of Section 20 wounding after assaulting a prison inmate and his co-defendant Mercer.

Clarke, of Southport Road, Formby, was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to possession of a prohibited firearm - the Baikal self-loading pistol - possession of ammunition without a firearms certificate, possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and possession of ammunition with intent to cause fear of violence.

Police said that in May 2015, Clarke had fired a blank firing pistol containing a home-made bullet during a dispute at a friend's house in Formby.

Mercer, of Cullen Avenue, Bootle, was sentenced to three years for affray and possession of a firearm without a firearms certificate after he pleaded guilty.

Mr Jones said: "The sentencing of these three offenders today sends out a strong message to those involved in gun crime - Merseyside Police is committed to taking those involved in gun crime off the streets.

"Malcolm Graham and Lewis Clarke were both linked by DNA, photographs and video to a Baikal self-loading pistol which just three weeks before it came in to their possession was used to murder Kevin Wilson on Smithdown Road in February 2015.

"These three thought they were untouchable and were seen in photographs on phones owned by Graham and Clarke with the weapons. Mercer was also videoed on the phone snorting cocaine off a sawn-off shotgun."

He added: "Alongside the firearms offences, Malcolm Graham was sentenced for two section 20 assaults, one was on a prison inmate and the other was an assault on Adam Mercer.

"People like Malcolm Graham, and those he associates with, have a complete disregard for each other, as you can see from the assault on Mercer, let alone other members of the public."

Anyone with information about gun crime, or those involved in any way with firearms, can contact the Matrix serious organised crime team in England on 0800 230 0600, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.