POLICE discovered a gun under a bed when they searched Steven Fraser’s home in Wisbech – even though he was banned for life from possessing such a weapon.

The firearm was a Walther air weapon, a pellet gun powered by carbon dioxide capsules, and fitted with a sound moderator.

“He had just moved into his girlfriend’s flat and was going to put it on display on a window sill in a display stand,” solicitor John Clarke explained to Fenland magistrates. “People are very interested in that sort of thing.”

Mr Clarke added: “This is what I would call a passive gun crime; he was in possession of it, rather than using it. He did not threaten anyone, it was not adapted and was not loaded.”

Fraser was automatically made subject to the lifetime firearms ban when he was given a 42-month jail sentence for drugs offences in 1999.

Appearing before Fenland magistrates on Tuesday 39-year-old Fraser, of Mill Road, West Walton, admitted possessing the weapon on October 30.

Andrea Fawcett, prosecuting, said: “A search was carried out at premises in Anchor View, Wisbech, and the air weapon was found in bedroom.

“The weapon was examined by a police weapon maintenance officer; it did produce enough power to make it a lethal barrelled weapon. It looked like a genuine gun.”

The gun would not normally need a firearms certificate, she said; Fraser told police he had owned the air weapon for 10 to 15 years but did not think his firearms ban included such a weapon.

Fraser was remanded in custody until he is sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court.