Three men charged after armed police operation in Gainsborough
Three men have been charged following an armed police operation in Gainsborough as officers reassure the community.
Following a policing operation involving plain-clothed armed officers on Theaker Avenue and Asquith Street, Gainsborough, on Thursday, September 3, Lincolnshire Police have confirmed that three men arrested have now been charged and remanded into custody.
Harvey Emmingham, 24, of Henley Court, Gainsborough has been charged with conspiracy to possess a prohibited firearm and conspiracy to possess ammunition for a firearm without a certificate.
Sonny Mclaggan, 22, of Chancel Road, Scunthorpe has been charged with conspiracy to possess a prohibited firearm and conspiracy to possess ammunition for a firearm without a certificate.
Mitchell Davis, 24, of no fixed address, has been charged with conspiracy to possess a prohibited firearm and conspiracy to possess ammunition for a firearm without a certificate.
All three men appeared at Lincoln Magistrates' Court on Saturday, September 5, and were remanded into custody. They are next due to appear at Lincoln Crown Court on Monday, September 28.
Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Michael Head said: "I would like to thank the public for their patience and cooperation throughout this operation. We understand that incidents of this nature can cause concern within our communities, but I want to reassure residents again that there is no wider risk to the public.
"This result reflects the dedication and professionalism of our officers, who work tirelessly to keep Lincolnshire a safe place to live, work and visit. Offences involving firearms are taken extremely seriously and will not be tolerated.
"Information from the public plays a vital role in helping us prevent crime and bring offenders to justice, and we continue to encourage anyone who has concerns or who notices suspicious activity to report it to us.
"We remain committed to tackling serious criminality and keeping dangerous weapons off our streets. We are extremely grateful for the patience and support shown by the local community throughout this operation, and we thank residents for continuing to place their confidence in us as we work to keep Lincolnshire safe."
In a previous statement Insp Head said: “I would like to reassure the community that the operation was thoroughly risk assessed and it was determined that there was no danger to members of the public.
“The operation generated a significant number of calls from concerned residents and, unfortunately, led to misinformation being circulated on social media, including reports that a vehicle had crashed and that occupants had fired shots within a property. This was not the case. I would like to remind the community of the harm that misinformation can cause to not only policing investigations, but to members of the local community.”