A British teenager has been spared from jail after using a 3D printer to build a gun.
James Maris, 19, used a 3D printer given to him as a gift for Christmas by his parents to make the components for a FGC-9 firearm.
The teen from Rannoch, Perthshire, was caught by police after officers acting on intelligence raided the home in May 2023.
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said the 3D printed parts were found during a search of Maris’s room.
The components found included a hammer, magazine, catch, trigger, safety, grip and a buffer assembly which he had ordered online.
Ammunition was also found during the search.
A court heard how the 19-year-old was finished manufacturing the parts needed for the firearm, and was nearing the completion of his project.
COPFS said Maris confessed to police that he had a fascination with firearms and bought the 3D gun parts online.
MORE LIKE THIS:
Maris, who is diagnosed with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and significant anxiety, told police he built it "for a hobby and had no intention of using it to hurt anyone".
He claimed his intention was to destroy the components or hand them in to Police Scotland.
A handwritten letter by the teen also found during the raid reiterated that Maris did not intend to "cause harm or spread any message or belief".
Judge Lady Hood said: "There was no evidence of extreme political views on your part, or any connection to terrorism or organised crime."
During a criminal justice social work (CJSW) report, Maris told the assessor he became afraid when he realised what he had done, and felt relieved when police came.
The teen pleaded guilty to four firearms offences last October at the High Court in Edinburgh.
The offences usually carry a minimum term of three years’ detention but Lady Hood said “exceptional circumstances” warranted a non-custodial punishment.
She said she took the 19-year-old’s health conditions, age, immaturity, lack of previous convictions and his expression of remorse into account.
The judge also noted the lack of any "sinister or concerning material" found on his computer, his low risk of reoffending, and a psychiatrist's opinion that his "focused interest in firearms has passed".
She told Maris on Tuesday: "In all of the circumstances, I am persuaded that a community disposal, rather than a custodial disposal, is appropriate in your case."
He was given a community payback order (CPO) with 300 hours of unpaid work and three years of supervision.
Maris will also be tagged and restricted from leaving home between 8pm and 6am for a year.
In addition, the judge imposed a number of conduct requirements for three years - including limiting his phone and computer ownership to one each; allowing the devices to be accessed by police and his supervising officer if requested; and banning him from using encryption software and deleting his internet browsing history.
Find Out More...
James Maris, 19, used a 3D printer given to him as a gift for Christmas by his parents to make the components for a FGC-9 firearm.
The teen from Rannoch, Perthshire, was caught by police after officers acting on intelligence raided the home in May 2023.
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said the 3D printed parts were found during a search of Maris’s room.
The components found included a hammer, magazine, catch, trigger, safety, grip and a buffer assembly which he had ordered online.
Ammunition was also found during the search.
A court heard how the 19-year-old was finished manufacturing the parts needed for the firearm, and was nearing the completion of his project.
COPFS said Maris confessed to police that he had a fascination with firearms and bought the 3D gun parts online.
MORE LIKE THIS:
- Illegal gun smuggler caught red handed at UK border as police find weapons taped to car bumper
- Prince Harry's Invictus Games slammed as 'woke' over introduction of laser guns amid equipment issues
- Albanians top list of most arrests per population in the UK as foreigners arrested at twice the rate of Britons
Maris, who is diagnosed with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and significant anxiety, told police he built it "for a hobby and had no intention of using it to hurt anyone".
He claimed his intention was to destroy the components or hand them in to Police Scotland.
A handwritten letter by the teen also found during the raid reiterated that Maris did not intend to "cause harm or spread any message or belief".
Judge Lady Hood said: "There was no evidence of extreme political views on your part, or any connection to terrorism or organised crime."
During a criminal justice social work (CJSW) report, Maris told the assessor he became afraid when he realised what he had done, and felt relieved when police came.
The teen pleaded guilty to four firearms offences last October at the High Court in Edinburgh.
The offences usually carry a minimum term of three years’ detention but Lady Hood said “exceptional circumstances” warranted a non-custodial punishment.
She said she took the 19-year-old’s health conditions, age, immaturity, lack of previous convictions and his expression of remorse into account.
The judge also noted the lack of any "sinister or concerning material" found on his computer, his low risk of reoffending, and a psychiatrist's opinion that his "focused interest in firearms has passed".
She told Maris on Tuesday: "In all of the circumstances, I am persuaded that a community disposal, rather than a custodial disposal, is appropriate in your case."
He was given a community payback order (CPO) with 300 hours of unpaid work and three years of supervision.
Maris will also be tagged and restricted from leaving home between 8pm and 6am for a year.
In addition, the judge imposed a number of conduct requirements for three years - including limiting his phone and computer ownership to one each; allowing the devices to be accessed by police and his supervising officer if requested; and banning him from using encryption software and deleting his internet browsing history.
Find Out More...