Popular Wolverhampton cafe owner jailed for storing guns and ammunition on the premises

Wolverhampton Crown Court was told that West Midlands Police confiscated a self-loading pistol, a revolver, 43 cartridges and 96.65grams of cocaine worth up to £4,200 and a large amount of cash during the raid.

The fifty-year-old, of Wombourne, eventually admitted knowing about the drugs which the court heard he'd been asked to store, but denied any knowledge of the guns which were found in a bag in the basement.

He was sentenced on Friday after pleading guilty at a previous hearing to two offences of possessing a prohibited firearm, three offences of possessing ammunition without a certificate and a charge of possession with intent to supply cocaine.

Judge Michael Chambers told him: “This is a serious offence.”

“I have to sentence you on the basis, namely, that you were a custodian of the drugs, but were not aware of the presence  of the firearms.

“You are aware that by law you are the custodian of the firearms and the drugs. Firearms and drugs play a significant role in criminality. If you choose to act as a custodian of criminal property, you have to take responsibility for what you are looking after.

“You have to be sentenced for six offences following your re-arraignment after previously pleading not guilty.

“They followed your arrest when the police exercised a warrant at your premises in Wolverhampton on August 14 this year.

“The premises was Top Nosh Cafe which you were running. It is a busy, popular cafe.

“The police received information that firearms were being stored there. A search found firearms, ammunition and a quantity of class A drugs,” the judge said.

Mr Callum Church, prosecuting, said Dhinsay, aged 50 and of Oaklands, Wombourne, was not present when the premises was raided at about 2.30pm on August 14, but handed himself in to the police the next day.

He said the defendant, who had 17 previous convictions for 42 offences including possession of class B drugs dating to 2009 gave no comment during his police interview, but later changed to guilty pleas on a basis at a hearing on October 10.

Mr Justin Jarmola, defending, said: “He is a hardworking man, running a popular cafe. It’s very busy. His business partner is willing to step up and keep it running.”

He said Dhinsay, a married father, was remorseful. He asked the judge to keep the jail term as short as possible under the sentencing guidelines.

Dhinsay was jailed for a total of five years and three months for the offences. He must serve half the term before being released on licence.

Judge Chambers ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the firearms and the drugs. A proceeds of crime application will be made at a later date in respect of the undisclosed amount of cash seized.

Proceedings against two other defendants have been dropped after the Crown Prosecution Service offered no evidence in relation to them.