Man who made guns using 3D printer jailed for more than 10 years

A man who used a 3D printer to manufacture guns at his home in Burton-on-Trent has been jailed for more than 10 years.

Dion Matthews, 60, from Burton-on-Trent, was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison at Stafford Crown Court on May 9 after he admitted using the machine to produce four viable hybrid semi-automatic rifles known as FGC-9s.

In addition, he was given 10 concurrent sentences of one year for possessing hundreds of rounds of homemade 9mm ammunition. He must also pay a victim surcharge of £288.

He had pleaded guilty to four counts of manufacturing a weapon, device or ammunition specified in section 5(1) of the Firearms Act 1968 and 10 counts of possessing ammunition for a firearm without a certificate at a hearing in October last year.

We were called to reports of a man with a gun on Wetmore Road in Burton-on-Trent at around 8.15pm on 10 July, 2022. Armed officers quickly went to the scene where they found Matthews and two guns on the floor. Matthews was then arrested.

Following a search of his home address, two further 3D-printed guns and around 800 rounds of 9mm ammunition were recovered and seized.

Detective Constable Jack Jones, from CID South, said: “Matthews told us he had made these weapons using a 3D printer and items he bought online ‘out of curiosity’.

"The reality is that these were viable weapons that were tested and shown to be capable of firing live ammunition.

“Our message is clear; that weapons manufactured using 3D printers will be treated as seriously as any other traditional firearm and those who make them can expect to be given lengthy prison sentences as a result.”