Man jailed for firearm possession after Dudley fire investigation
Incident led to discovery of handgun linked to arson attack
A 24-year-old man has been sentenced to six years in prison for firearms possession following an investigation in Dudley.
The link was established after a handgun was discovered in a second car during an examination after a fire incident on Stourvale Road, Lye, last year on 23rd July.
West Midlands Fire Service had attended an arson attack on a car, which subsequently spread to a nearby derelict unit.
Inside the unit, investigators found another car, containing a self-loading pistol, cannabis, and mobile phones.
Forensics identified Terrell Billingham’s DNA on the handle of the gun, confirmed as a viable weapon by firearms experts.
Billingham, from Granville Road, Cradley Heath, was arrested on 20th August 2025 and subsequently charged with firearm possession.
Despite denying the charges, he was found guilty in court, receiving his sentence on Friday, 3rd July 2026, at Wolverhampton Crown Court.
Detective Sergeant Marc Petford from the Major Crime Unit remarked on the constant battle against illegally held firearms, appealing for public help to report such weapons.
“In this instance the hiding place was found after an unrelated incident nearby. But we are always working to track down those involved in gun crime and would urge anyone with information on the location of illegal held firearms to contact us, so we can remove them from our streets,” Petford said.
The case underscores the ongoing efforts to tackle gun crime in the region.