The type of brutal weapon used by killer Connor Chapman can be bought online.
Chapman, 23, was found guilty of the murder of Elle Edwards who was killed in a botched gangland shooting on Christmas Eve last year. Elle, 26, had been enjoying a night out with her sister and friends when she was hit twice outside the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey Village.
Five others were also injured, one critically after Chapman fired indiscriminately towards the pub with a sub-machine gun. Earlier this week, a jury of seven women and five men came to a unanimous decision after three hours and 48 minutes of deliberation, following a three-and-a-half week trial at Liverpool Crown Court.
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In an exclusive investigation by the Mirror, it was found that the type of submachine gun used by Chapman, can be bought online for around £300. Czech-made Skorpions, known as the weapon of choice for criminal gangs in Liverpool, London and Manchester, were offered on British military collectables websites.
The guns can be legally sold here if they have been deactivated and can only fire blanks, but they can be re-converted for live ammo on the black market.
A former Met detective told the Mirror that it was “scandalous” that deactivated guns could be sold without checks and said gangs chose Skorpions for “spray and pray” killings. Ex-detective Peter Bleksley, star of Channel 4’s Hunted, said: “These websites should not exist, it is utterly ridiculous. It is scandalous deactivated weapons can be sold with no checks.
"If you’ve got the right components and the right know-how in your garden shed you can bring them back to life. Skorpions are seriously dangerous.
"When criminals get hold of them, it’s very much ‘spray and pray’ because they’re uncontrollable in untrained hands. Elle’s murder is a perfect example."
Peter added: "Essentially, if you know where to look, you’ll be able to source whatever you want. They can be smuggled, shipped, flown, couriered, you name it. Gangs are dangerously innovative in finding ways to get what they want."
Earlier this week it was heard that Chapman used the gun to fire 12 bullets into the pub on Christmas Eve. At Liverpool Crown Court, Chapman’s friend Thomas Waring, 20, was also convicted of possession of a prohibited weapon, and assisting an offender by helping Chapman torch the stolen black Mercedes car used to flee the scene.
Chapman was jailed for life with a minimum of 48 years. Waring was jailed for nine years. During the trial, the jury heard that Skorpion sub-machine gun used in the murder of Elle Edwards was capable of emptying its magazine "before you could sneeze".
Firearms examination scientist Andre De Villiers Horne said: "It will fire a volley of shots. We’re talking 14 to 15 rounds per second. If you don’t let go, before you can sneeze you will have emptied the magazine.
“On single shot, you will have to pull the trigger for every time you fire.”
Mr Power played footage of the shooting to the jury, which he asked Mr Horne to share his conclusions about. The jury were told based on the way the shooter fired Mr Horne concluded it was set to single-shot mode.
On the footage, the gunman steps out from the side of the pub and holds the weapon in both hands with his arms fully extended.
Following the trail, floral tributes have been left alongside a mural for the much-loved beautician. The mural has been completed on Virginia Street in New Brighton, featuring a picture of Elle with the words: "You do you, boo" alongside a rose and butterfly. Floral tributes have also been left nearby as passers-by stopped to admire the artwork in her memory.
As the trial came to an end, Elle's grieving dad Tim made a promise to his daughter. He said: "Thankfully now he's got 48 years and hopefully he never sees Christmas again. If I'm lucky enough to still be around for a long time yet, I will do my best to make sure he never comes out of jail."
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