Latest news with #ZoeWatts
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Moment trans PCSO who tried to make semi-automatic gun using 3D printer is arrested by swarm of armed cops in residential street
This is the moment armed police swooped to arrest a transgender former Police Community Support Officer convicted of trying to make a semi-automatic gun with a 3D printer. Zoe Watts was jailed for eight-and-a-half years this morning after jurors heard the 39-year-old had an 'obsession' with weapons and attempted to make the lethal firearm at her home to 'sneak past law enforcement'. Video obtained by the Daily Mail shows Watts being arrested at the wheel of her Peugeot 206 in a cathedral city last December. She was filmed emerging from the grey car with her hands on her head after it was boxed in by two unmarked police cars, assisted by a third liveried SUV, on Boultham Park Road in Lincoln. Video from an adjacent property's CCTV system which was posted on Facebook showed armed officers running to surround the vehicle. A second clip filmed from the rear of the incident showed six officers pointing their weapons at the Peugeot on the main road in the Boultham suburb. Armed officers were also seen at Watts' home, where they waited for her to leave before executing a warrant. Sarah Fotheringham saw the drama unfold after she came home from work to make a sandwich for lunch. The 54-year-old cleaner told the Daily Mail at the time: 'There were lots of police outside – with some at each end of the incident to block off the road. 'After the first three cars came a police van arrived and they took her away quite quickly in that. Then a dog unit arrived and a sniffer dog examined the car before they searched the boot. 'It was all quite a drama.' Watts was convicted in June of using a 3D printer to try and make a lethal firearm after jurors discounted the defendant's claim that she had been making a 'fidget' toy gun as a Christmas present. Sentencing her this morning, Judge Simon Hirst said Watts had a 'deeply troubling internet search history.' Watts had previously worked as a Lincolnshire PCSO for more than eight years an once ran a survivalist YouTube channel. The judge acknowledged that Watts would find custody difficutl due to her neurodivergence, previous policing career and 'transgender identity' but said she would have to serve half of her sentence before being relesed on licence. Watts is believed to be the first person in the UK to be convicted of attempting to manufacture such a prohibited gun with a 3D printer. Prosecutor Jonathan Dee said today that it was the first time 'this particular weapon has been found in this country'. He said the initials of the 'semi-automatic' FGC MK II Nutty weapon attempted to be made by Watts stood for the words 'F**kgun control.' The defendant appeared for sentencing at Lincoln Crown Court today via videolink from HMP Downview in Sutton, Surrey. During her trial earlier this year, jurors heard how police found an 'arsenal' of weapons at Watts' home. Officers recovered a 3D printer from a cupboard in Watts' home along with many of the parts needed to make a gun. The defendant had Googled two days before her arrest: 'Has anybody been killed by a 3D printed gun?' Mr Dee said the offence required a degree of planning - it took Watts at least two weeks to manufacture the weapon 'as each individual component had to be printed'. When firearms experts tried to put the weapon together it did not work but the prosecution said it would be a 'lethal' prohibited weapon if manufactured correctly. Mr Dee told Lincoln Crown Court: 'If this item had been made correctly it would have been a prohibited firearm.' He told jurors: 'This was a lethal weapon, you can make on your own, and sneak past law enforcement.' The proescutor said aggravating factors were Watts' previous convictions and the fact the semi-automatic weapon she was trying to construct was capable of firing 33 bullets within 15 seconds. But he said today that 'the Crown would have to accept' that Watts 'neurodivergence' was in part a reason for why the offence was committed. A pre-sentence report said she was suffering from gender dysphoria, which the NHS describes as 'a sense of unease that a person may have because of a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity.' The report said Watts could be considered vulnerable due to 'her neurodivergence in transgender identity'. Stuart Lody, defending, said Watts was not a danger to other people, adding that she had a 'childlike quality'. A witness told the Daily Mail a sniffer dog a sniffer dog examined the car before officers searched the boot. 'There's an innocence which can lead to her putting herself in danger, quite unwittingly', he added. Mr Lody said Watts had expressed sorrow over her actions 'potentially negatively affecting the way the lesbian, gay and transgender community are viewed and she regrets all of that'. In a statement following the sentencing, Lincolnshire Police said officers had discovered an 'Aladdin's cave' of weapons, including knives and a crossbow, alongside parts for 3D printed guns at Watts' home. Detective inspector Gemma Skipworth said the case 'Sends a clear message that if you're doing something wrong behind closed doors, it doesn't mean you're safe and can break the rules with impunity.' She added: '3D printers are becoming more and more popular, and people are naturally exploring what they can do with this technology. 'But it's important to know that when you are downloading plans and use a machine to produce something like a firearm, you're breaking the rules. 'And if you are caught, you will face a lengthy jail sentence'. Watts was previously jailed for 27 months in July 2021 after she 'hoarded' banned weapons and explosive substances and also made an improvised explosive device. (IED) She had admitted making an improvised explosive device, three charges of possession of a prohibited weapon and two counts of inappropriately importing goods.
Sky News
2 days ago
- Sky News
Former PCSO jailed for trying to make 3D printer gun
A former police community support officer who was "obsessed with weapons" has been jailed after trying to make a gun using a 3D printer. Zoe Watts, 39, of St Helen's Avenue, Lincoln, has been jailed for eight years and six months after she was found with weapons, including knives and a crossbow, alongside parts for 3D printed guns during a raid on her home on 11 December, Lincolnshire Police said. She was also given a forfeiture and destruction order, and will be subject to a serious crime prevention order for five years following her release. Watts was sentenced on Friday at Lincoln Crown Court following a lengthy investigation that involved multiple departments. Judge Simon Hirst told Watts, who appeared at the hearing via video link from HMP Downview in Surrey, that he realised custody would be more difficult for her because of her neurodivergence, her previous police career and her transgender identity. The conviction and sentencing are the first of their kind in the UK for this type of offence, Lincolnshire Police said. She was arrested by armed officers last December, after she was pulled over while driving her car in Lincoln. Lincolnshire Police received information that Watts was buying illegal material online. Officers searched her house while she was away. They found an "Aladdin's cave" of weapons, police said. They also discovered a number of "worrying searches" online. Police said Watts had used Google to ask, "has anybody been killed by a 3D printed gun?" and was looking for ways to buy new weapons. She told officers she was creating the weapons as toys before she was convicted earlier this year. Detective inspector Gemma Skipworth said: "This sends a clear message that if you're doing something wrong behind closed doors, it doesn't mean you're safe and can break the rules with impunity. "3D printers are becoming more and more popular, and people are naturally exploring what they can do with this technology." She said downloading plans and using a machine to produce something like a firearm, means "you're breaking the rules" and if you are caught, you will face a lengthy jail sentence. "This case shows how committed my colleagues are to keeping the people of Lincolnshire safe and I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who worked on this case," Skipworth added.
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Telegraph
Former PCSO with ‘troubling search history' tried to claim 3D gun was ‘fidget toy'
A former police worker who used a 3D printer to make parts for a semi-automatic gun has been jailed for more than eight years. Zoe Watts, 39, was arrested last year after police found a 3D printer used to manufacture parts of a semi-automatic weapon, as well as parts built to complete the gun, including springs, nuts and bolts. The gun was completed by police firearms experts but was not capable of firing projectiles and would have required further modification, Lincoln Crown Court heard on Friday. The former police community support officer (PCSO) was sentenced to eight years and six months for a single count of attempting to manufacture a prohibited weapon. Watts was convicted in June after jurors discounted a defence claiming it was a 'fidget' gun for a Christmas present. Judge Simon Hirst told Watts, who appeared at the hearing via video link from HMP Downview in Surrey, that he realised custody would be more difficult because of the former officer's neuro-divergence, previous police career and transgender identity. He said it was clear from evidence heard during the trial at Lincoln Crown Court that Watts, of St Helen's Avenue, Lincoln, had an 'obsession with weapons'. Watts also has previous convictions for making an explosive substance and possessing illegal weapons, which meant the ex-PCSO was prohibited from owning any weapons at the time of arrest. The judge said: 'You told the jury you had searched the internet for bullets. You had a truly troubling internet search history, including those who had killed and notorious murderers.' A medium risk of reoffending Watts had also used Google to search ' has anybody been killed by a 3D printed gun? ', researched weapons and was looking for avenues to buy new weapons, Lincolnshire Police said. A pre-sentence report found that Watts was deemed to have a medium risk of reoffending. Judge Hirst said: 'There was some degree of planning in that you researched the weapon and you purchased items you were unable to manufacture yourself. You searched the internet for bullets. 'There is no evidence that the weapon would have been sold or loaned, but the very real danger is that the very existence of this weapon would become public knowledge. 'The weapon was incomplete and it would have required modification before it was able to fire projectiles, but the amount of work required to make it operational was relatively limited.' The judge added that 'custody will be more difficult for you because of your neurodivergence, your previous police career and your transgender identity'. Lincolnshire Police officers were alerted to Watts's activity after receiving information that the former PCSO was buying illegal material online. Senior officers then planned an operation to arrest Watts, who was pulled over while driving in Lincoln and arrested by armed officers, while others carried out a search of the former officer's home. Once inside, officers found what police described as an 'Aladdin's cave' of weapons, including knives and a crossbow, alongside the parts for 3D printed guns. Watts claimed the weapons were toys in a defence victim statement before being convicted at court earlier this year, adding: 'I thought it was a good base for making a fidget gun.' Watts became aware of the FGC 9 pistol through an internet article but had no intention of making one, the court heard. Detective Inspector Gemma Skipworth said after the sentencing: 'This sends a clear message that if you're doing something wrong behind closed doors, it doesn't mean you're safe and can break the rules with impunity. '3D printers are becoming more and more popular, and people are naturally exploring what they can do with this technology. 'But it's important to know that when you are downloading plans and use a machine to produce something like a firearm, you're breaking the rules. And if you are caught, you will face a lengthy jail sentence - so please think about what you're doing.'
The Independent
2 days ago
- The Independent
Former PCSO ‘obsessed with weapons' jailed for trying to make 3D-printed gun
A former police worker with an 'obsession' with weapons who used a 3D printer to make parts for a semi-automatic gun has been jailed for more than eight years. Police officers went to the Lincolnshire home of former PCSO Zoe Watts, 39, in December last year and found a 3D printer which she had used to manufacture parts of a semi-automatic weapon, as well as parts she had built to complete the gun, including springs, nuts and bolts. The gun was completed by police firearms experts but was not capable of firing projectiles and would have required further modification, Lincoln Crown Court heard on Friday, as she was sentenced to eight years and six months for a single count of attempting to manufacture a prohibited weapon. Judge Simon Hirst told Watts, who appeared at the hearing via video link from HMP Downview in Surrey wearing a blue and white flowery top, that he realised custody would be more difficult for her because of her neurodivergence, her previous police career and her transgender identity. He said it was clear from evidence heard during a trial at Lincoln Crown Court that Watts, of St Helen's Avenue, Lincoln, had an 'obsession with weapons'. She also has previous convictions for making an explosive substance and possessing illegal weapons, which meant she was prohibited from owning any weapons at the time of her arrest. The judge said: 'You told the jury you had searched the internet for bullets. You had a truly troubling internet search history, including those who had killed and notorious murderers.' She had also used Google to search 'has anybody been killed by a 3D printed gun?', had researched weapons and was looking for avenues to buy new weapons, Lincolnshire Police said. A pre-sentence report found that Watts was deemed to have a medium risk of reoffending. Judge Hirst said: 'There was some degree of planning in that you researched the weapon and you purchased items you were unable to manufacture yourself. You searched the internet for bullets. 'There is no evidence that the weapon would have been sold or loaned, but the very real danger is that the very existence of this weapon would become public knowledge. 'The weapon was incomplete and it would have required modification before it was able to fire projectiles, but the amount of work required to make it operational was relatively limited. 'Custody will be more difficult for you because of your neurodivergence, your previous police career and your transgender identity.' Lincolnshire Police officers were alerted to Watts's activity after receiving information that she was buying illegal material online. Senior officers then planned an operation to arrest her, and she was pulled over while driving her car in Lincoln and arrested by armed officers, while others carried out a search of her home. Once inside, officers found what police described as an 'Aladdin's cave' of weapons, including knives and a crossbow, alongside the parts for 3D printed guns. Watts claimed she was creating the weapons as toys in a defence victim statement before she was convicted at court earlier this year. Detective Inspector Gemma Skipworth said after the sentencing: 'This sends a clear message that if you're doing something wrong behind closed doors, it doesn't mean you're safe and can break the rules with impunity. '3D printers are becoming more and more popular, and people are naturally exploring what they can do with this technology. 'But it's important to know that when you are downloading plans and use a machine to produce something like a firearm, you're breaking the rules. 'And if you are caught, you will face a lengthy jail sentence – so please think about what you're doing. 'This case shows how committed my colleagues are to keeping the people of Lincolnshire safe and I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who worked on this case.'
BBC News
2 days ago
- BBC News
Ex-PCSO Zoe Watts jailed for using 3D printer to make gun
A former police community support officer who was "obsessed with weapons" has been jailed after she tried to make a gun using a 3D Watts, 39, who is a trans woman, of St Helen's Avenue, Lincoln, was found with parts for a semi-automatic weapon during a raid on her home on 11 her trial in June, Watts had claimed she was making a "fidget" toy gun as a Christmas was sentenced on Friday at Lincoln Crown Court on Friday to eight years and six months in prison. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices
