A man who used a 3D printer to assemble a deadly assault gun in his bedroom has been ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work.
Police discovered the homemade semi-automatic weapon during a search in May 2023 of the house James Maris, 19, shared with his parents in Rannoch, Perthshire.
They also found ammunition capable of being fired from the gun known as an FGC-9.
Maris was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on Tuesday, 21 January, after he pleaded guilty to four firearms offences. A community payback order was also imposed which places Maris under supervision for a period of three years.
Moira Orr, who leads on major crime for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), said:
“James Maris has been convicted of a serious crime.
“This sentence should act as a deterrent to others who are engaged in this sort of criminal activity.
“The manufacture of viable 3D-printed firearms is a real threat and, as prosecutors, we will robustly pursue those who are involved in assembling them.
“This case underlines our commitment to continue working with the police and other agencies to ensure that crimes of this nature are detected and those responsible prosecuted using all measures at our disposal.”
The court heard how police, acting on intelligence, found 3D-printed firearm components during the search of Maris’s bedroom.
These included the hammer, magazine, catch, trigger, safety, grip, and a buffer assembly which had been ordered online to allow him to manufacture a semi-automatic rifle.
They also found a 3D printer which his parents had given him as a Christmas present in 2021 as well as tools and items that could be used in the manufacture of 3D printed firearms.
Maris admitted to officers that he had a fascination with firearms and that he purchased the 3D gun parts online from his laptop.