This article is more than 1 year old

Prison librarian swaps books for bars after dark-web gun buy caper

The ballad of Brixton nick

A prison librarian in England was today sentenced to more than seven years in prison for trying to buy a handgun and bullets online and for drug offences.

Dwain Osborne, of Avenue Road, Penge, in London, was nabbed in October of 2015 after he sought to procure a Glock 19 – a staple of police and security forces worldwide – and 100 rounds of ammunition on the dark web.

A search of Osborne’s house revealed the existence of a storage device, two stolen passports, and a police uniform.

The storage device was found to contain prison cell numbers for all the inmates of HMP Brixton prison where Osborne worked as a librarian, plus a list of all staff and their personal details.

Discovery of the personal data led to Osborne’s re-arrest when officers recovered drug wraps, scales, a cutting agent, cash and cocaine.

Osborne was charged with nine offences, including attempting to purchase a firearm and ammunition and possessing class A and B drugs with intent to supply. Osborne pled guilty to six charges, and was sentenced on Monday at the Old Bailey to seven-and-a-half years.

Andy Tickner from the UK Organised Crime Partnership said in a statement: “People looking to obtain illicit goods and services under the supposed anonymity of the dark web continue to discover that they can be traced and identified.

“Ensuring that firearms cannot be sourced in this way is a priority for the NCA [National Crime Agency]. We will work tirelessly to prevent and disrupt those involved in the buying and selling of firearms on the dark web.” ®

More about

TIP US OFF

Send us news


Other stories you might like