Dad posed for pictures with drug gang's shotguns found at his Leeds home

Using a warrant, police raided the property on Broadlea Mount in Bramley just after midday on November 7 last year where they found Rocky Hoban at home along with his 13-year-old son. Leeds Crown Court heard that the 42-year-old denied there was any illegal items in the house, but a search of the house unearthed a Matalan bag that contained two fully-working shotguns, a blank-firing semi-automatic pistol adapted to fire live ammunition, 32 cartridges of live ammunition and two bags of steel ball bearings, which can be used to modify ammunition.

They also recovered a JD Sports bag that contained 110 grammes of cocaine that was later to be found to be 91 per cent pure. A mobile phone was seized which contained photos of Hoban posing with the weapons, prosecutor James Lake said.

Held on remand, Hoban appeared in court via video link from HMP Doncaster after admitting three counts of possession of a firearm without a certificate, possession of modified ammunition, and possession of cocaine with intent to supply.

He has 17 previous convictions for 26 offences, including heroin dealing in 2010 for which he was jailed for two years.

Hoban claimed he had the guns because of an interest in hunting, which was dismissed outright by Judge Robin Mairs.

Jailing him for 10 years, Judge Mairs said: "It’s not a basis any judge can accept. The only common sense inference is that you were a trusted lieutenant in a drug-dealing organisation. Firearms are inextricably linked to drugs.

"Photographs of you were found, and you clearly revelled in this and were proud of it. Guns kill, they maim, and terrorise and intimidate. That’s why criminals use them and want them.

"Only a trusted lieutenant is put in charge of such a valuable quantity of drugs.”

Mitigating, Adrian Pollard said that Hoban was not living a “luxurious lifestyle”, had significant debts and had to pawn his wedding ring last year. She said his wife had been left “distraught by the events” and that the family were going to be evicted from their property.

Mr Pollard said: “He accepts everything is his fault and does not pass the blame to anyone else.”

Detective Inspector Michael Herbert, who heads Leeds District Programme Precision Team, later said: “Illegally held firearms and ammunition such as these have the potential to kill or cause serious injury and have no place in the hands of criminals.

“These deadly weapons have been taken off the streets through the continued work of specialist officers targeting those involved in the organised supply of drugs and the firearms offences so often associated with this criminal trade.

“I hope the significant sentence that Hoban has received will send a very clear message to those involved in gun and drug crime of the penalties they can expect, and also provide some reassurance to the community.”