From Commonwealth Games wrestler to Black Country guns dealer

Amarjit Singh won 12 British titles during a glittering wrestling career, which saw him represent Great Britain at the 1996 Olympic Games.

He even went on to coach other wrestling hopefuls in the West Midlands. But the 43-year-old's fall from grace was documented during a hearing at Wolverhampton Crown Court where he admitted acting as courier for firearms and live ammunition in exchange for £100 worth of cigarettes.

The court heard Singh was caught with a second man, Lithuanian Andrius Valnuchinas.

Valnuchinas was seen putting a bag into the boot of a car driven by Singh at the Gallagher Retail Park in Wednesbury. Officers searched it and discovered a bag containing three new 7.62mm Tordev semi-automatic handguns, three magazines loaded with 24 bullets and a latex Frankenstein mask.

Singh told the court that he had known Valnuchinas for around three years having met him at a gym in Wolverhampton. "I didn't ask any questions. It was a favour for Andrius. I agreed to do for four sleeves of cigarettes," he said.

See video footage of Singh wrestling back in 1996:

Defending Singh, Mr Michael Wolkind QC told the court his client had lost 70 per cent of his hearing and suffered liver and kidney problems as a result of his wrestling career.

"He has been a fine and successful competitor but his medal days are behind him," he said. "He is bewildered and ashamed regarding his actions. This is a job he blindly took for money."

Singh, of Chilton Drive, Portobello, Willenhall, pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing a firearm and ammunition. He was sentenced to six and a half years for the firearms offence with three years to run concurrently for possessing the ammunition. Valnuchinas, aged 39, of Lilian Grove, Bilston, is serving an eight year sentence for supplying firearms and bullets.