A drug dealer has been jailed after showing up at a government office in south Essex armed with a loaded gun.
Noble Nwokocha, 24, of Gordon Road, Basildon, was carrying a revolver originally manufactured to fire blanks but converted into a lethal weapon.
Essex Police arranged with the probation service to arrest Nwokocha on suspicion of drugs offences when he showed up for an appointment in Laindon last October.
As officers entered the office on October 7 2025, Nwokocha exclaimed the F-word, dropped his black coat to the floor and then told officers: “That’s not mine.”
Picking it up and finding it suspiciously heavy, they searched it and found the loaded revolver in the right pocket.
There was a steel ball bearing loaded into it. When test fired after police seized it, it was in working order and capable of discharging fatal shots.
Questioned, he provided a prepared statement in which he claimed he had taken the gun with him because he planned to hand it in to the authorities.
“I did have a black revolver in my possession,” it said.
“It was none mine and I was forced to have it. I brought it to probation to hand it in and hoped that it would show probation that I am not safe.”
He denied any intent to use the firearm in any offences, adding: “This was meant to help demonstrate the danger I am in.”
He claimed to have even mentioned it to the probation worker before the police burst in – but checks carried out by Southend Crown Court on Thursday (August 6) found the probation worker denied that.
Sentencing judge John Bristow said the test fire showed the gun was “capable of discharging with sufficient trajectory to cause injury from which death might result.”
“Like many on the streets these days, it is a converted weapon – highly dangerous,” prosecutor Brian Reece said.
“Your Honour recognises the inextricable link on the streets between firearms and drugs.”
Nwokocha was a convicted drug dealer, he said.
In 2017, he was convicted of possessing an offensive weapon – a knife in that case.
In 2023 he was convicted of being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine, plus possession of both drugs with intent to supply.
He was on licence for those offences when he attended the probation office in October 2025.
He appeared in court earlier this year charged with possessing the gun, possessing ammunition, Class A drugs supply and attempted robbery.
But all charges other than the gun possession were dropped.
Defence barrister Mark Fraser told Judge Bristow on Thursday that his client maintained his story about having the gun under duress and taking it to probation as evidence to seek help with relocation.
Mr Reece said the prosecution did not accept that story but as it would only make a six-month difference to the final sentence, the Crown would not pursue a trial of issue over it.
As such, said Judge Bristow: “I will sentence you in accordance with your basis of plea.”
He jailed Nwokocha for four years and eight months.
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