A London man has been jailed for six years for dangerous driving and possession of a firearm.

A converted 9mm self-loading pistol and 12 rounds of loaded ammunition were found in a carrier bag hidden in Edris Yusufi's wardrobe following a search of his home.

The search came after Yusufi, of Scotts Road, aged 25, failed to stop for police on November 24 at around 1.35pm and was chased down by firearm officers through Aylesbury before being stopped as he headed towards London.

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During Yusufi’s attempts to lose the police, a national police air service helicopter and Metropolitan Police officers joined the pursuit around west London.

Officers blocked the vehicle and forced it to stop on Bolingbroke Road, Hammersmith, at 2.40pm before arresting Yusufi and another man.

He pleaded guilty to one count each of driving a motor vehicle dangerously and possession of a firearm without a certificate at Aylesbury Crown Court on Friday (January 28).

The passenger in the vehicle, Wilson Santos, aged 24, of Mackenzie Close, London, was charged with possession of a knife.

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He pleaded guilty at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court on November 26 and was sentenced to six months in jail.

Detective Constable Laurie Twine, of the Stronghold Team, based at Aylesbury police station, said: “It is only due to good fortune and the fast reactions of members of the public that no-one was seriously injured or killed as Yusufi drove extremely dangerously for over an hour to try and evade arrest.

“In London, when faced with a queue of congested traffic, he even turned off the road and drove along a footpath, forcing a dog walker to jump out of the way.

“Thankfully, the UK has one of the lowest levels of gun crime in the world, however, any handgun in the hands of people like Yusufi represent a grave threat to the public.

“I am pleased that the judge saw fit to apply the minimum sentence of five years, with an additional year for the driving offences.

“I want to thank the officers of Thames Valley Police’s Joint Operations Unit, the National Police Air Service, and the Metropolitan Police who were able to effectively and safely detain Yusufi.

“Especially the professionalism and skill of the officers from Thames Valley Police who pursued the vehicle all the way from Aylesbury to London, and without whom he would almost certainly have got away.”

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