A man snuck a pistol into the ‘family day’ at Notting Hill Carnival.
Jade Charles, of Saltram Crescent, West Kilburn, has been jailed for five years after police found he left a suspicious bum-bag on August 27, 2023, during the day of cultural celebrations.
Officers observed through CCTV that Charles dropped off the bag at Ashmore Road, and police were deployed to find a Glock pistol with ammunition in the bag.
He was later arrested and taken into custody.
Charles appeared at Southwark Crown Court in September 2023, where he pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The 35-year-old was then sentenced at the same court on Friday (April 19).
Just after the two-day event ended last year, the Metropolitan Police said the festivities were “marred by serious violence” after a series of stabbings on the second day (August 28).
The force said at the time that there were 110 arrests on the family day (August 27), for offences including possession of offensive weapons, assaults including assaults on police officers, possession of drugs and sexual offences.
One man had a non-life changing slash wound but declined the assistance of the emergency services.
Officers also seized a firearm and arrested a man in connection to it.
Detective Constable Andrew Payne, the investigating officer from the Met's Specialist Crime Command, said: "The loaded firearm in Charles' possession put innocent members of the public at risk on what is known as 'Children's Day' at Carnival.
"It's recovery has no doubt prevented it from being used to commit violent offences on our streets.
"This was an excellent example of officers painstakingly viewing live images looking for things that are suspicious and reading body language, and in this case it has led to lives potentially being saved."
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