Man facing gun charges found hanged in cell

A MAN accused of possessing an illegal firearm and ammunition at his Rugby home has been found hanged in his prison cell, a judge has heard.

Sebastian Foster had been remanded in custody by a Judge at Warwick Crown Court in October last year following his arrest for allegedly possessing heroin with intent to supply it.

But at that hearing the court was told that Foster, 33, of Main Street, was also to be charged with firearm offences after a self-loading pistol was allegedly found at his home.

Lal Amarasinghe, prosecuting, said: “It was a genuine firearm with a silencer and also contained a bullet, but it is not accepted by the defendant that it was his.”

He pointed out another man, Darrell Akins, 25, of Banbury, had also been arrested and was about to be charged.

So the case was adjourned on that occasion and Foster was remanded in custody, with the time he could be held in prison being extended on January 4.

The two men had been due to appear together in the dock on Friday, but Akins, who had been on bail, stood alone.

Prosecutor Iain Willis explained: “Sebastian Foster died on January 6. He appeared to have killed himself while in a prison cell at HMP Hewell.”

He said Foster’s death was being investigated by West Mercia Police, and the coroner had also been informed.

“Unfortunately there is no death certificate at the moment, but it is clear from the information from the police and the coroner’s office that this defendant is deceased.”

So Recorder Adrian Redgrave QC ordered the indictment against Foster to be marked ‘deceased.’

And in relation to Akins, Mr Willis said there were ‘considerable complications’ in the case against him, but the CPS was ‘satisfied there is no evidence to link the firearm to him.’

The charges were then put to Akins who pleaded not guilty to possessing heroin on August 19 last year with intent to supply it, possessing a prohibited .380 self-loading pistol and possessing .380 ammunition without a firearms certificate.

Mr Willis then said he would offer no further evidence against Akins, and Recorder Redgrave formally entered not guilty verdicts.