A MAN branded a career criminal by a judge has been jailed after cops found a loaded gun on his shelf.

Oldbury man Daniel Jayes, aged 31, was locked up for eight years after he was caught with a loaded 9mm pistol.

Police officers went to the area to investigate reports a man had been spotted pointing a gun at people prosecutor Harinderpal Dhami told Wolverhampton Crown Court.

He said they went to the house where Jayes was staying and when questioned he told them the gun, which was fully operational, was on a shelf.

Judge Simon Ward told Jayes, who maintained he had been asked to look after the lethal weapon by other criminals:"You played an important role in gun crime.

"For quite a long time you have been living the life of a career criminal.

"This gun has been buffered down to remove all traces of identification including the manufacturer's name."

He said the pistol was not only a prohibited weapon but it had been adapted for use by criminals in crime and Jayes, by looking after it, had ensured it was readily available.

Jayes, a father-of-two now of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to possessing the prohibited pistol and also three rounds of live ammunition.

He further admitted the offences constituted the breach of a suspended 11 month prison sentence imposed for dishonesty.

Mr Dhami said firearms experts examined the gun which had a silencer after Jayes arrest and found it to be fully operational.

Blondelle Thompson, for Jayes, said her client's life had been spiralling out of control and accepted he had not been law abiding.

She said Jayes had been mixing with the wrong crowd and he had been asked to look after the gun and the ammunition.

She added: "He felt he had no choice, he is ashamed of his behaviour and he knows he has set a bad example for

his children."

Miss Thompson stressed Jayes had made a big mistake by looking after the gun and she said he intended leaving the

area once he had completed his time behind bars.