BNP man faces gun charges

A former parish councillor and BNP activist has appeared in court on firearms charges.

The trial of David Lucas, 51, of South Road, Lakenheath, began at Ipswich Crown Court on Wednesday. Lucas is charged with possessing a gun capable of firing flares 500ft into the air – labelled ‘potentially lethal’ by prosecutors. He is also charged with having ammunition for the gun which he purchased more than three years ago in Alaska.

On Wednesday, jurors were shown the orange gun, made largely from plastic, which still bears a $24.99 price sticker.

Martyn Levett, prosecuting, told the court that police had arrested Lucas after searching Black Dyke Farm, in Hockwold, on August 18 last year. Officers found the gun and ammunition on a shelf inside a portable building. Experts examined the items and decided the gun and ammunition were, under the 1968 Firearms Act, items which required a firearms certificate to possess.

Lucas, who admitted he did not hold a firearms certificate, challenged whether the items were covered by the Firearms Act and claims he was not holding them illegally.

Mr Levett said the gun, an Orion Signal Launcher, was found with 11 flares of a 12 bore size.

“If carelessly pointed at someone the effect would be potentially lethal,” he said.

He added that a second firearms expert had also examined the gun and agreed that it was covered by the Firearms Act.

Lucas stood as a BNP candidate in the European elections in 2009 and has previously served on Lakenheath Parish Council. In June last year he was given a one year prison sentence suspended for one year for possessing ammunition and gunpowder.

The trial is expected to finish today.

Bury Free Press

BNP activist on firearms charges

A British National Party (BNP) activist has appeared in court on firearms charges.

Police officers were posted outside the magistrates courts building in Bury St Edmunds on Friday when 50-year-old David Lucas made a brief appearance to face two charges of possession of a signal launcher gun without a certificate and possession of ammunition for a firearm without a certificate.

Lucas, of South Road, Lakenheath, did not enter pleas and the case was adjourned until December 17 when he is due to be committed for trial at Ipswich Crown Court.

A former member of Lakenheath Parish Council, he stepped down from his role in July. He also stood unsuccessfully as a candidate for the BNP in last year’s European elections. Lucas was released on conditional bail until the next hearing and his passport must remain surrendered.

He was originally arrested in August when tactical firearms officers were involved in a search of a caravan in Blackdyke Road, Hockwold. Speaking at the time a police spokeswoman said: “Officers from the tactical firearms unit were involved but for their skills in gaining entry to properties and searching rather than firearms deployment.”

Newmarket Journal

Ex-councillor arrested in firearms raid

A BNP activist and former parish councillor has been arrested by police on suspicion of a firearms offence.

Tactical firearms officers were involved in the arrest earlier this week of 50-year-old David Lucas, of Lakenheath – just two months after he admitted possessing ammunition and gunpowder at Ipswich Crown Court.

Mr Lucas was arrested on Wednesday after police officers executed warrants at properties in the Mildenhall and Thetford areas.

A police spokeswoman said the arrest was made on “suspicion of possession of firearms without a licence”.

She said he had since been released on police bail until September 28.

Speaking about the involvement of firearms officers, she said: “Officers from the tactical firearms unit were involved, but for their skills in gaining entry to properties and searching rather than firearms deployment.”

Last month, Mr Lucas quit his role as a member of Lakenheath Parish Council.

Marilyn Banks, clerk to the council, confirmed a letter of thanks had been sent to Mr Lucas, who last year stood as a candidate for the BNP in the European elections.

No by-election for his parish council seat will be held.

Mr Lucas was given a 12-month prison 
sentence suspended for 12 months in June in connection with an incident in April 2009, when police visited a static caravan at Black Dyke Farm, near Lakenheath.

Police found a plastic tub containing a small amount of gunpowder and 2,500 rounds of ammunition that Mr Lucas was not authorised to possess, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Mr Lucas, of South Road in Lakenheath, admitted possessing gunpowder without an explosives licence, two offences of possessing prohibited ammunition and one offence of possessing ammunition without a firearm certificate.

Sentencing Lucas, Judge David Goodin said the offences crossed the custody threshold but agreed to pass a 12-month sentence suspended for 12 months after coming to the conclusion that Lucas was eccentric rather than a danger to the public.

He ordered Lucas to pay £250 towards prosecution costs and ordered him to reside for 13 weeks at his mother’s house.

At the time, Jonathan Davies, for Mr Lucas, said his client’s attitude had been “negligent and indifferent” rather than a flagrant disregard for the law.

East Anglian Daily Times

BNP activist given suspended prison sentence in ammo case

A leading British National Party activist who admitted unlawfully possessing ammunition and gunpowder has escaped an immediate prison sentence.

Police officers who went to a static caravan at Black Dyke Farm near Lakenheath in April last year, where David Lucas had been staying, found a plastic tub containing a small amount of gunpowder and 2,500 rounds of ammunition that he wasn’t authorised to possess, Ipswich Crown Court heard. Lucas, 49, of South Road, Lakenheath, admitted possessing gunpowder without an explosives licence, two offences of possessing prohibited ammunition and one offence of possessing ammunition without a firearm certificate.

Sentencing Lucas, Judge David Goodin said the offences crossed the custody threshold but agreed to pass a 12-month sentence suspended for 12 months after coming to the conclusion that Lucas was eccentric rather than a danger to the public. He ordered Lucas to pay £250 towards prosecution costs and ordered him to reside for 13 weeks at his mother’s house. He told Lucas that in the wrong hands the ammunition was potentially dangerous and warned him to take more care in the future.

Jonathan Davies for Lucas said his client’s attitude had been “negligent and indifferent” rather than a flagrant disregard for the law. He said the small amount of gunpowder found in the caravan was used to set off traps on the farm and he had collected the ammunition over a number of years and planned to display some of the cartridges in picture frames in hunting and fishing lodges.

Mr Davies said Lucas had led a law-abiding life and had been made bankrupt after losing his transport business because of the foot and mouth outbreak in the county in 2001. He said Lucas helped local people by being a parish councillor and was well-respected locally.

EADT24

BNP activist admits explosives charge

BNP activist and lunatic David Lucas

A leading Suffolk-based BNP activist has pleaded guilty to possession of an explosive substance without an explosives licence

David Lucas, a farmer from Lakenheath, Suffolk, originally denied all firearms and explosives charges at Ipswich Crown Court in January and continues to plead not guilty to having an explosive substance under suspicious circumstances and possessing a prohibited weapon.

Lucas, who stood for the British National Party in the elections for the European Parliament last year, has previously claimed to have made and provided gallows to African countries with poor human rights records. The execution equipment he sold ranged from single gallows, at about £12,000 each, to 'Multi-hanging Execution Systems' mounted on lorry trailers, costing about £100,000.

Following his arrest, the idiotic Simon Darby, the deputy leader of the BNP, said;

'I think the police have got it in for him. I would imagine that it is to do with his capacity as an agricultural rural chap. It is just one of the many things that ordinary rural people have to deal with when you have got a politically motivated police force.'

BNP man denies 7 charges

David Lucas - yet another lunatic from the BNP

A farmer who is a British National Party activist has denied seven firearms and explosives charges. David Lucas, 49, of South Road, Lakenheath, denied the charges at Ipswich Crown Court.

Lucas, who stood as a BNP Euro-MP last year, denied possession of explosives in suspicious circumstances, possessing an explosive substance without a licence, possessing a prohibited weapon, possessing ammunition with intent to endanger life, two charges of possession of prohibited ammunition and possessing ammunition without a firearms certificate.

Judge David Goodin told Lucas his trial should start on July 26 and last four days.

Lucas was released on bail on condition he lives either at South Road, Lakenheath, or at Black Dyke Farm, Hockwold. His passport will remain with the police and he must have no contact with two named people.

Lucas has previously claimed he made gallows for Third World countries.

Newmarket Weekly News

BNP farmer faces weapons and explosives charges

A British National Party activist and Suffolk farmer has appeared in court this morning charged with a number of explosives and firearms offences.

David Lucas of South Road, Lakenheath stood before magistrates in Bury St Edmunds this morning facing seven counts relating to the possession of explosives and firearms. The Lakenheath parish councillor appeared in the dock in a dark suit with a blue tie loosened at the neck and spoke only to confirm his name and address.

The clerk of the court read out to him the seven offences he is charged with, which relate to April this year. They are; possessing an explosive substance for an unlawful purpose, possessing a prohibited firearm, possession of ammunition with intent to endanger life, possessing prohibited ammunition, possessing expanding ammunition derived from the military and possessing ammunition for a firearm without a certificate under two offences.

The charge of possession of explosives under suspicious circumstances can only be brought by police with the authorisation of the Attorney General and carries a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment.

The Chairman of the Bench, Lorraine Line, told Lucas: “The offences you are charged with can only be heard at a crown court.”

She said he will be given an opportunity to enter a plea to the charges at a hearing at Ipswich Crown Court on January 22. As part of his bail arrangements he was told he must not leave the UK, or take steps to leave, and his passport must remain surrendered to the police.

Evening Star

BNP activist charged with explosives and firearms offences

David Lucas, leading BNP activist and all-round nutjob

A leading British National Party activist and Suffolk farmer has been charged by police with a number of explosives and firearms offences.

David Lucas, 49, who once caused controversy for building gallows and selling them to African countries with poor human rights records, was charged yesterdayfollowing his arrest in April. Lucas, of South Road in Lakenheath, stood as one of the eastern region British National Party (BNP) candidates for the European elections in June. He is also a Lakenheath parish councillor.

He has been charged with possession of explosives under suspicious circumstances, possession of an explosives substance without an explosives licence, possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of ammunition with intent to endanger life, possession of ammunition without a firearms certificate and two counts of possession of prohibited ammunition. The charge of possession of explosives under suspicious circumstances can only be brought by police with the authorisation of the Attorney General.

But last night the BNP accused Suffolk Constabulary of persecuting Lucas because he stood for the far-right party. Simon Darby, the deputy leader of the BNP, said Lucas' “troubles” started after he was announced as a candidate for the European election.

“I think the police have got it in for him,” he said. “I would imagine that it is to do with his capacity as an agricultural rural chap. It is just one of the many things that ordinary rural people have to deal with when you have got a politically motivated police force. Obviously if he needs help we will give him that but we will have to see how it pans out. He had a very successful business there and a big market on his farm so he is very well thought of in the area.”

Lucas caused controversy in 2006 when it emerged he was building gallows for export. The execution equipment he sold ranged from single gallows, at about £12,000 each, to “Multi-hanging Execution Systems” mounted on lorry trailers, costing about £100,000. He also allowed the BNP's eastern region to use his barns for a local 'Battle for Britain' fundraising event in the run-up to the European elections.

Last night, David Gathercole, chairman of Lakenheath Parish Council, said he could not comment on the charges against Lucas. But he said: “Unless he is found guilty, he is still an innocent man and can still sit on the parish council.”

Lucas is due before West Suffolk Magistrates' Court in Bury St Edmunds on November 10.

EADT24

Suffolk BNP candidate arrested

The Suffolk farmer who built gallows for export has been arrested just weeks after the British National Party chose him as a candidate for the European elections.

The BNP has confirmed that David Lucas (left), of Mildenhall, was arrested on Thursday and questioned by Suffolk Police and that he had been released on bail.

A spokesman for Suffolk police said: “A 48-year-old man from Lakenheath has been arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods. He has been released on police bail to return to Bury St Edmunds police station on June.11.”

The BNP has said that the alleged incident will not prevent Mr Lucas, who lives at Eldon Farm in Holywell Row, from standing in the European election. He is in fifth place out of seven candidates from the East of England chosen by the party to fight for a seat in Brussels.

A spokesman said: “David woke up to find the police around the house. He was interviewed and then released. It follows a big fund raising party held on his property to raise funds for the campaign. We are not worried about the incident and he will remain on the party's election list of candidates.”

Nominations for the June 4 election close on May 7.

Ipswich Evening Star

BNP candidate quizzed by police

A candidate for the British National Party (BNP) has been arrested by armed police in Suffolk.

David Lucas, who is standing in the European elections, was questioned on suspicion of handling stolen goods. The arrest of Mr Lucas on Thursday is in connection with an incident at Halesworth, in Suffolk, last year.

The BNP confirmed that Mr Lucas had been arrested at his farm near Mildenhall and questioned before being released on bail.

BBC