Criminals thank judge for jail time

LONDON (Reuters) - Two criminals have showed their polite side by thanking the judge after he sent them to jail for six years each for converting hundreds of blank-firing guns into lethal weapons.


As Judge David Paget sentenced Stephen Herbert, 47, and Gary Beard, 46, on Friday, one of them called out with a smile: "Thank you judge, that's lovely." The other was heard to mutter: "We got away with that one." Their crimes could have attracted maximum penalties of 10 years.


A factory in southeast London run by the two men converted over one gun a day into fully functioning arms during a 14 month period. The weapons were sold on to criminals at 600 pounds a time, the court heard.


The firearms being converted included the Walther PPK, famously used by 007 James Bond. Police believe the gang pocketed over 360,000 pounds from the venture.

link : http://uk.news.yahoo.com/040910/80/f2c6s.html