East Midlands Gang Jailed Over 60 Years for Assassination Kit Sales Across England

A ruthless gang in the East Midlands has been sentenced to over 60 years in prison for manufacturing and distributing 'assassination kits' to criminals across the UK. The kits, which included converted blank-firing handguns, silencers, magazines, and ammunition, were produced in a backyard firearms factory run by Ronald Knowles. Gary Hardy organized and controlled the supply network, while Steven Houston distributed the weapons to criminals, including convicted murderer and drug dealer Jason Hill. Police seized at least 33 firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, with authorities noting that the gang had the potential to supply up to 80 additional kits before being stopped. Judge Mark Watson described the operation as highly sophisticated and large-scale, emphasizing the grave threat posed by these weapons designed to kill. The sentences ranged from 13 and a half years to 25 years, with Hill receiving an additional four years consecutively to his life sentence for murder.