by Keith Hunt

A man caught with an arsenal of guns and ammunition in his flat in a Kent pub has been jailed for five years.

Dale Baker had a loaded revolver on his bedside table when police raided The Phoenix in Lower Hythe Street, Dartford, on October 26 last year.

Officers also seized a stun gun, dart pistol, rifle, 488 .22mm expanding bullets, 777 .22mm cartridges and 28 .38 cartridges.

A judge asked for more information on the circumstances, saying there was "a paucity apart from the bare facts".

But prosecutor Jane Scotcher said was unable to provide any more detail.

Maidstone Crown Court heard bearded Baker, 45, had lived in the rented single bedroom flat above the pub with his partner for about 18 months.

When police went there with a warrant under the Firearms Act, Baker's partner let officers in.

Baker was lying on his bed with the loaded gun next to him.

"He admitted possession of the firearms and ammunition," said Miss Scotchmer. "On arrest, he immediately said they were all his.

"He said he had acquired them a week previously but refused to give details of where he acquired them and what he had used them for, or intended to do with them."

Miss Scotchmer said the weapons were all in good working order.

Baker admitted possessing a prohibited firearm, two charges of possessing a prohibited weapon, possessing a firearm without a certificate and two charges of possessing ammunition.

Danny Moore, defending, accepted that Baker, who has heavily tattooed hands, faced a five-year minimum jail term for two of the charges but submitted he should not be punished further.

Passing sentence yesterday, Judge Martin Joy said: "You have pleaded guilty to extremely serious offences. These are extremely grave offences."