POLICE have released the mugshot of the Amman Valley man who was jailed after ordering a pistol in the post from America.

Elwyn Downing, 46, of Cwmamman Road in Glanaman, bought a Glock 26 9mm self-loading pistol and ten 9mm hollow point bullets and had it shipped from the United States.

Authorities intercepted the parcel, leading to Downing’s arrest on March 13.

Judge Geraint Walters said Downing’s actions were “beyond comprehension” as he jailed him for four years and eight months.

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Prosecutor Frederick Hookway said authorities in the United States examined a parcel heading to Ammanford on March 11. Inside was a Glock pistol and ten bullets. The parcel was being sent to Elwyn Downing and had his address and telephone number on it.

“The pistol fell foul of the Firearms Act,” Mr Hookway said. “The possession of the ammunition requires a certificate. This defendant doesn’t have such a licence.”

The National Crime Agency (NCA) in the UK took on the parcel and bugged it with recording devices before allowing it to be delivered on March 13.

The defendant was recorded telling another man that there was a Glock in the package and confirmed that it was “a real gun”.

When the other man asked what it was for, Downing replied: “Time to take out the”, but the rest of his response was unintelligible on the recording, Mr Hookway said.

The pair discussed needing two safes – one for the gun and one for the ammo – and when asked about why someone would want an M16 assault rifle, the defendant replied: “Why wouldn’t you?”.

NCA officers attended Downing’s address at 12.43pm that day and arrested the defendant.

Two mobile phones were seized, Mr Hookway said, and messages on the Telegram app going back to February showed the defendant arranging to pay £1,200 for the pistol. He later confirmed he had paid this.

Downing answered no comment to all questions in interview, and, after being charged, initially claimed that he had ordered the gun for another person. He later fully accepted the charges.

The defendant had 15 previous convictions for 36 offences.

South Wales Guardian: Elwyn Downing ordered a pistol in the post from America.Elwyn Downing ordered a pistol in the post from America. (Image: Dyfed-Powys Police)

“These guns when they are obtained by anybody for any purpose can end up in the wrong hands,” Judge Walters said.

“The defendant accepts that,” said Stuart John, appearing for the defendant.

Mr John said that Downing ordering the gun and ammunition was “unquestionably an extremely foolish and serious act”.

He said the defendant didn’t put forward any reason for ordering the gun, and suggested it was out of “some sort of morbid curiosity”.

“The messages show an element of bravado at the very least,” Mr John added.

He said the defendant was using drugs at the time – including ecstasy and amphetamine – and that this was affecting the defendant’s actions.

“I’m still not wholly sure as to exactly what your motives were,” Judge Walters said.

He sentenced Downing to four years and eight months for attempted possession of a firearm and three years, running concurrently, for attempted possession of ammunition for a firearm without a certificate.