A man from Leven in Fife, Scotland, has been sentenced after attempting to purchase a gun and ammunition online and conducting web searches related to school shootings and primary school holidays. James Maxwell, 28, was arrested in January 2023 following an operation by the Organised Crime Partnership, a team consisting of officers from the National Crime Agency and Police Scotland.

Maxwell faced charges of two counts of purchasing and attempting to acquire and possess a firearm, as well as two counts of purchasing and attempting to acquire or possess ammunition. Investigators from the Organised Crime Partnership discovered that he had tried to source a firearm and hollow point bullets online. Further checks on his phones revealed searches for terms such as “Dunblane,” “primary schools in Glasgow,” and “when do schools break up for Christmas holidays.”

On September 21, Maxwell pleaded guilty to the firearms offences, as well as making an indecent image of a child and possession of extreme pornographic images. He was sentenced to five years in prison, with an extended four-year license period, at Edinburgh High Court on October 26.

NCA Scotland Branch Commander Rob Miles described Maxwell’s actions as deeply sinister and disturbing. He emphasised the importance of removing dangerous individuals like Maxwell from the community and protecting the public from the illegal trade of firearms. Detective Chief Inspector Stevie Elliott of Police Scotland commended the Organised Crime Partnership for bringing Maxwell to justice, stating that the illegal acquisition and possession of firearms will not be tolerated in Scotland.

Sineidin Corrins, Deputy Procurator Fiscal for Specialist Casework at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), highlighted the seriousness of Maxwell’s offences, emphasising the potentially devastating consequences if the handgun and ammunition had not been intercepted.