A Birmingham father was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison after being found with a loaded firearm in his family home, where his three children slept, amid concerns over a recent armed burglary.
Reece Allamby, 28, had hidden a black pistol loaded with ammunition on top of a wardrobe in a bedroom in his Bartley Green home. Police officers conducting a raid at his Rush Green residence on 20 October last year discovered the firearm alongside a large sum of cash, cannabis, and mobile phones.
Allamby appeared from HMP Birmingham on 23 July and pleaded guilty to possession of a prohibited firearm without a certificate, possession of ammunition, and affray related to a separate incident in August 2023.
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Prosecutor Maninder Chaggar described the discovery of ammunition hidden in a KFC bag atop the wardrobe and the pistol found inside a man-bag at Allamby’s address. She detailed the affray, explaining that Allamby had driven a Ford C-Max which followed a man to his workplace in the Jewellery Quarter. Two men then exited the vehicle and assaulted the victim, who sought refuge in a shop. The attackers attempted to seize his belongings and physically assaulted him.
“Two males grabbed him and attacked him, attempting to grab items. They grabbed hold of his clothing, ripping his T-shirt off,” Mrs Chaggar said. “They tried to trip him over, causing him to fall into the road. The vehicle then made off at speed. Reece Allamby was the driver of that vehicle.”
Defence lawyer Jeevan Mann acknowledged the seriousness of the offences but explained that Allamby had been “recruited by others” and acted only as the driver during the affray. Regarding the firearm and ammunition, Mr Mann stated that Allamby pleaded guilty on the basis that there was “no criminal purpose to acquire the gun.” He further noted that Allamby claimed his actions were prompted by fear following an earlier burglary, with evidence of that crime presented in court.
Mr Mann highlighted Allamby’s difficult background, including the loss of his mother at age 12 and his father’s prolonged absence during his teenage years. He noted that Allamby had made progress since prior imprisonment, establishing a long-term relationship, fathering three children, actively participating in their care, and starting a gardening business with friends. “He is described as a present and devoted father, and a polite and helpful individual,” said Mr Mann. “He is still relatively young, has a young family, and ultimately, they will be the ones who suffer from his inevitable custodial sentence.”
Sentencing, Judge Lubega acknowledged the serious nature of Allamby’s offences. He recounted Allamby’s claim of being victimised by an armed burglary, which motivated his fear for his and his family’s safety. The judge detailed the affray, stating: “You drove your C-Max around the Jewellery Quarter past your victim, followed the vehicle to his workplace and, when he parked, you pulled in behind him. Two men got out of your vehicle and attacked him and attempted to take items from him. The males tried to trip him and, when he tried to run away, caused him to fall into the road. The males tried to grab an item, believed to be his watch, but were unsuccessful. He ran into a shop for his safety.”
Although the judge recognised Allamby’s efforts to turn his life around despite a challenging background, he noted that the defendant showed no remorse for his offences, concluding with the prison sentence imposed for the totality of his crimes.