A KENT man arrested for smuggling guns and drugs has been jailed for 10 years by a judge at Canterbury Crown Court.

Customs found pistols hidden in boxes of lager and ammunition in a lager bottle along with a loaded gun tucked in Mark Sharpe’s trousers when he was stopped at the channel tunnel control zone at Coquelles in February.

They recovered packets of cocaine worth £35,000 to £40,000 from the soles of a pair of shoes found in a bag in a suitcase in his car.

Sharpe, 41, of Gallwey Avenue, Birchington, near Margate, refused to name names when interviewed fearing for his safety and that of his family.

Sharpe was jailed for seven years having admitted smuggling five .22 calibre pistols, ammunition and silencers and given a further three years for cocaine smuggling which he also admitted.

David Owen-Jones, prosecuting, said Sharpe was stopped at Coquelles with a passenger at 11am on February 13. Officers removing boxes of Stella noticed one box was unusually heavy and inside were four handguns, four silencers and some ammunition.

When examined the guns were found to be of Italian manufacture and designed to only fire blanks due to a blockage in the dummy barrel but they had been modified and were capable of firing bullets.

The muzzle of each had been threaded so a silencer could be attached. The ammunition was .32 automatic cartridges and could be fired from the pistols.

When interviewed, Sharpe accepted his responsibility saying he had gone to Ostend with a friend to collect a broken down vehicle.

Mr Owen-Jones told the court: "He would say nothing about the guns, saying he was not prepared to give any information because it was more than his life was worth. He said his life was in danger and it had been going on for the last 18 months.

“He had been threatened as had his wife and his mother-in-law and said it had been logged with the police.

“Something had happened with some money involving a friend and Sharpe said he had no choice. In the last 18 months there had been two attempts on his life but he wouldn’t give any details.

“He said he put the cocaine in the shoes but it was already packaged,” added Mr Owen-Jones.

Sharpe had been jailed for five and a half years in 1996 for possessing drugs with intent.

His counsel, Christopher Sutton-Mattocks, said Sharpe was under no illusions and knew he would be in jeopardy when in custody if he named names.

Sharpe made full admissions from the start for which he was entitled to credit.

“He has not run the defence of duress. He was involved in the drug world and convicted for it and was under a great deal of pressure which entailed threats and he then found himself getting further involved in the drugs and firearms world,” said Mr Sutton-Mattocks.

He continued: “Once arrested, he did all he could short of naming names, which he fears will put his life in jeopardy.”

Jailing Sharpe, Judge Anthony Webb said Sharpe had previously been involved with Cocaine and Cannabis and knew what might result from his involvement with the drugs trade.

He sentenced Sharpe on the basis that he and his family had been threatened but he took no steps to get protection.

“The weapons were carefully concealed and you had a loaded pistol on your person. It is clear there is a continuing drugs background,” said Judge Webb.

He gave Sharpe credit for his pleas but said the weapons had been converted and were potentially lethal.