Woman jailed for looking after sawn-off shotgun that was taken to a Kempston school

A woman from Bedford has been jailed for possession of a sawn-off shotgun when she was just 17 years old.

Keesha Kalyan, now 21, was found out when the shotgun and ammunition were found in the bag of another pupil at a Kempston school in October 2018.

Police found text messages between the two discussing a ‘dotty’ - urban slang for a shotgun - being taken into Kalyan’s home address and her asking the boy not to say anything about it.

Snapchat messages were also found referencing the weapon when the boy was taken into police custody and she was arrested as it was suspected she was involved.

Her fingerprints were found on the bag that the gun in, but she claimed that the ‘dotty’ she was referring to was a religious ornament.

Kalyan, who was living in Bedford at the time, but in Cowley, Uxbridge during the trial, was jailed for three years on Wednesday (April 20) after being convicted in November last year for possessing a prohibited firearm.

Detective Sergeant David Gordon, who investigated, said: “We can’t stress enough that if you are caught carrying any kind of illegal firearm, even if it is an imitation one, there will be a price to pay and this is likely to be in the form of a stint in prison.

“Using the excuse that it isn’t yours or that you are carrying it for your own protection simply won’t wash with us.

“Carrying a prohibited weapon can lead to devastating consequences, for not only the individuals involved, but for the families of those who get hurt through such actions. If you have concerns or feel like you are being forced, bullied or coerced into storing a gun for someone, please speak to us and we will try to help you.

“Fortunately, gun crime remains extremely rare in Bedfordshire and by working alongside our partners, recorded incidents of serious youth violence fell by 24 per cent in Bedfordshire in the 12 months to April 2021, compared to the same timeframe to April 2019.

“We will continue to do all we can to stamp out such criminality and make sure that those responsible for inciting such violence are held accountable for their actions.”