A hoarder caught with a prohibited firearm and ammunition without a certificate has been banned from possessing or owning any guns in the future.

Jonathan Wootton, of King Street, Felixstowe, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court on Thursday after previously pleading guilty to possessing a prohibited firearm, and five charges of possessing ammunition without a firearms certificate.

A search on May 10, 2018, revealed that Wootton, 57, was in possession of a .22 calibre Mondial revolver pistol along with two .32-20 cartridges, one .455 cartridge, one .22 long-range cartridge, one .308 cartridge and 10 .22 cartridges.

The court heard that Wootton had five previous convictions for 16 offences, including a conviction for firearms offences in November 2006, for which he received a suspended sentence.

Judge David Pugh sentenced Wootton, who previously held a firearms licence, on the basis of plea that the gun was returned to him after he faced similar charges in 2006.

Judge Pugh told Wootton he was “a hoarder”, but added that there was no evidence that Wootton was using the firearm for anything other than collective purposes.

The judge said the offences clearly passed the custody threshold but opted to suspend the prison term.

Wootton was handed a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Wootton was also made subject of a indefinite restraining order that bans him from possessing any firearm, imitation firearm, or any parts of any firearm as well as any equipment designed for manufacturing bullets or ammunition.

Wootton’s cousin, John Langford, 49, also of King Street, Felixstowe, also appeared on Thursday to be sentenced for four charges of possessing ammunition without a firearms certificate, and one charge of possessing black powder without an explosive certificate.

Langford previously pleaded guilty to having 50 .22 cartridges, two .38 cartridges, two .44 cartridges and 49 .308 cartridges, as well as the gunpowder.

Langford, who was not represented in court, explained to the judge that the items were from his “shooting days” and when he moved in with his cousin, he had brought them boxed up from his home and forgotten about them.

The court heard Langford had no previous convictions.

Judge Pugh sentenced Langford to eight months in prison, suspended for 18 months.