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