A BURGLAR who was given a lifetime firearms ban bought an air rifle from a retired police officer, a court heard.

Martin Rodmell bought the Air Arms Tx200 rifle at Bolton Buy, Swap and Sell for £300 in January 2006, Bolton Crown Court was told.

Rodmell had been sentenced to three years in a young offender's institute in February 1999 for a string of burglaries — and was banned from owing any firearm as part of his punishment.

Andrew Costello, defending, said his client had bought his gun "from a local shop from a retired police officer".

The court was also told that shooting was Rodmell's passion and that he believed his ban only lasted five years following his 1999 conviction.

Judge Timothy Stead sentenced Rodmell to a 12-month community order for breaching the banning order — but criticised the Crown Prosecution Service for not pursuing the more serious charge of possession.

Judge Stead said: "The kinetic energy of the weapon makes it illegal to hold. I believe the state takes very seriously the possession of a firearm more powerful than permitted to be held.

"It has not happened here. I am concerned about the way this has case has been handled.

"I will write to the senior area prosecutor."

Rodmell was caught with Scott Gore in the living room of a house in Thistleton Road, Deane on August 26 last year with air rifles.

Both men admitted to one charge of breaching a firearms banning order, but neither faced charges of the possession of ammunition.

The British Webley & Scott rifle found by police was sold to Gore on June 24, 2014, by North West Gun Centre in Halliwell Road.

Gore was banned from holding a firearm for five years after being jailed for four months in 2013.

Some pellets were found in the same sleeve as the Air Arms Tx200 rifle — but no charge of possession of ammunition was pursued by the crown.

Gore refused to leave his police cell and be interviewed by police and has numerous previous convictions, the court heard.

Rodmell had not been before the courts since his burglary conviction.

Gore is already in custody. When he is released in two weeks he will return to court and is set to receive four months custody, suspended for two years.

A CPS spokesman said: "The prosecution accepted pleas by the defendants to one charge each of possession of a firearm after full consideration of all the facts and circumstances of the case.

"We considered that the pleas offered were acceptable and were satisfied that the guilty pleas enabled the court to pass a sentence that reflected the seriousness of their offending.

"For those reasons we decided not to proceed to trial on the remaining charges.

"We will of course consider any observations the judge has on the prosecution of the case."