'Scarface' thug bought sniper rifle for London gang warfare

 
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Paul Cheston8 October 2012
WEST END FINAL

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A convicted robber who worships movie gangster Tony Montana has been jailed for 15 years for buying a sniper rifle and silencer while released on licence.

Nathaniel Tracey, 27, travelled to Reigate with three other men to buy the .22 rifle, fitted with a silencer and 62 rounds of ammunition for just for just £600.

Tracey had been jailed for seven years in 2007 for a string of meat cleaver robberies in Streatham, including one where a surgeon was savagely beaten when he did not hand his laptop.

The thug, who wrote rap lyrics about his criminal exploits, idolised Al Pacino’s gangster Tony Montana and wore a Scarface jacket.

While out on licence Tracey, with Anthony Hosey, 28 Loyan Osman, 26 and Khadar Mire, 25, travelled to Redhill, Surrey to buy the Czechoslovakian sniper rifle from traveller Tyron Harding.

Gun dealer Harding, 45, was also on licence after serving 12 years for breaking into a pub in Epsom and tying up the landlord before making off with £1500.

Prosecutor Robert Ellison said the gang were under police surveillance and were arrested after they collected the gun in November last year.

When the gun was examined DNA from Osman and Harding were found on it.

Organisers Hosey, of Camberwell, and Mire, of Catford, were jailed for 16 years for trying to buy the gun, while Tracey, of Brixton, was sentenced to 15 years, and Osman, of Bermondsey, was locked up for 14 years.

Harding, of Mitcham, was caged for 11 years for selling them the weapon.

Passing sentence Judge Michael Topolski, QC, told the men: “The facts of this case are serious and disturbing.

“Your intentions were potentially of the upmost gravity and it is fortunate that the police stopped you when they did."

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