Lorry Driver Sentenced to 16 Years for Operating Illegal Gun Conversion Workshop from Caravan
Thomas McKenna, a 60-year-old lorry driver, has been handed a 16-year prison sentence for running a clandestine gun conversion workshop from his caravan, where he transformed blank-firing weapons into lethal pistols for organized crime groups across London. McKenna, who harbored extremist anti-Muslim views, also stockpiled firearms and explosives in preparation for what he described as a "race war," according to evidence presented at Kingston Crown Court.
Extremist Messages and Weapon Stockpiling Revealed in Court
Prosecutor Emily Dummett detailed how McKenna used TikTok to send messages urging friends and associates to "get yourself ready" for violent conflict. In one chilling message, he wrote about plans to "kill," "shoot," "unalive," and "neutralize" Muslims and immigrants, stating, "Bro, that's why I believe our only course for survival freedom is strike now while we have the numbers and hard unalive the f****** lot of them." The court heard that McKenna's self-taught operation involved using a lathe and drill in one of three caravans located in Buckles Lane, South Ockendon, Essex.
Police discovered six reactivated blank-firing guns directly linked to McKenna, but investigators believe he produced many more. Since his arrest, authorities have noted a significant reduction in the number of converted blank firearms involved in shootings throughout London, highlighting the impact of his criminal enterprise. Detective Chief Inspector James Tipple emphasized, "This demonstrates the importance of McKenna in the illegal supply of firearms and why it was so crucial this criminal network was dismantled."
Wide-Ranging Criminal Network Uncovered in Metropolitan Police Investigation
McKenna's partner, Tina Smith, 55, a bus driver, pleaded guilty to charges including collecting terrorist information and possessing banned firearms. She was sentenced to seven years, with six to be served in custody. The couple, along with eight other individuals, were convicted for their roles in a firearms conspiracy that distributed weapons to gangs across the capital. Among those involved was Faisal Razzaq, the getaway driver in the 2005 fatal shooting of Pc Sharon Beshenivsky in Bradford.
After his release from prison in 2017, Razzaq operated a luxury car hire business in Edgware, north London, but primarily focused on obtaining and selling guns to criminal clients. One of his associates was intercepted by armed police in Harrow on August 26, 2024, while en route to the Notting Hill Carnival, with a loaded firearm in the vehicle that was traced back to McKenna through fingerprint and DNA analysis.
Additional Weapons and Explosives Found in Caravan Raids
During raids on McKenna's caravans in November 2024, police uncovered a cache of dangerous items, including a 22-inch shotgun disguised as a torch, a hunting knife, throwing axes, and a non-firing AK47 that McKenna was researching how to reactivate. Officers also found military clothing, a helmet, homemade explosives containing black powder, nails, and fishing hooks, as well as munitions guidebooks, prompting counter-terrorism police to assist in the investigation.
Evidence from Smith's phone revealed she had sent videos of her attempts to make black powder to McKenna, who responded with scathing critiques of her lack of expertise. Bethan David, head of counter terrorism at the Crown Prosecution Service, stated, "Both McKenna and Smith held extremist anti-Muslim views. Their stockpiling of weapons and explosives was not simply criminal opportunism - it was fuelled by a belief in the inevitability of violent conflict."
Sentences Handed Down to Multiple Co-Conspirators in Firearms Case
Other members of the network included Ricky Dorey, 43, who lived on the same static caravan site and helped McKenna find customers for the guns, and his brother Robert Dorey, 44, of Tilbury, Essex, who had been released from prison on licence in May 2023 after serving a 16-year sentence for attempted murder. Both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sell or transfer prohibited firearms.
Abdul Saleh, 32, of Edgware, assisted Razzaq in selling the weapons, while Patrick Loughnane, 59, acted as a communication link between Ricky Dorey and McKenna. Detectives found evidence that Razzaq, the Dorey brothers, and Saleh were involved in the sale of 10 firearms. Loughnane's partner, Tammy Rigg, agreed to store a converted firearm at her home in South Ockendon.
Buyers of McKenna's converted guns included Allan Crosby, 44, of Sidcup, south-east London, and Ryan Smith, 44, of Dunton Green, Kent, who were convicted of possession of firearms and modified ammunition. Crosby received a 10-year sentence, while Ryan Smith was jailed for seven and a half years. Razzaq, Saleh, the Dorey brothers, Loughnane, and Rigg are scheduled for sentencing on February 26.
DCI Tipple concluded, "I'm pleased to say that as a result of the excellent police investigation some of the most dangerous members of our society will be off the streets of London for a very long time."
