A man previously convicted in a major armed jewellery heist has been sentenced to five years and three months in prison after being found with a loaded firearm, ammunition and thousands of pounds in counterfeit notes inside a Gucci bag. Jason Britton, 35, from Salford near Manchester, was apprehended following a police pursuit near Glasgow's Hilton hotel on 2 December 2025. According to BBC News, the High Court in Glasgow heard that Britton had been travelling in a BMW with Cade Johnson, 28, also from Manchester, who was previously imprisoned over a separate firearms conspiracy.
Britton pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing a firearm without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, and to acquiring and possessing £10,285 in criminal property. Police confirmed he was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on 3 November 2026 following his arrest during a routine vehicle stop on William Street.
Lord Scott, the sentencing judge, delivered a stark assessment of Britton's criminal trajectory.
These offences were motivated wholly or in part with the objective of committing serious organised crime. This makes each charge more serious. You are assessed as being at a high risk of re-offending due to the serious risk of harm you pose to the public. Having regard to the circumstances, gravity of the crimes and your previous convictions only a custodial sentence is appropriate which is necessary to punish you and deter others.
How the arrest unfolded
Officers conducting a routine check on a BMW registered in the Manchester area spotted three occupants with their hoods raised. When police activated their sirens and lights, Britton exited from the passenger door and fled towards the Hilton Hotel carrying the brown Gucci bag. Prosecutor Adrian Stalker outlined the pursuit to the court:
Britton exited from the passenger door and ran towards the Hilton Hotel with a brown Gucci bag. He dropped a quantity of £20 notes and proceeded on foot.
The BMW initially drove away but was stopped again by officers. During the chase towards the A804, Britton fell over a metal railing and dropped additional counterfeit notes. He was apprehended after falling a second time. Johnson, who was in the rear passenger seat, made no attempt to flee and cooperated fully with police, according to his defence counsel.
When officers opened the Gucci bag, they discovered a handgun and cash. The firearm was identified as a Turkish-made Zoraki model 917-B self-loading pistol, and the modified .380 cartridges were suitable for it; the gun was in working order and capable of discharging ammunition and self-loading when fired.
The counterfeit cash haul
The Gucci bag contained £1,060 in cash, predominantly in £20 notes. During his flight, Britton dropped a further £3,000 in counterfeit £20 notes. Officers recovered an additional £6,225 in mixed denomination notes from an Asda bag beneath the rear passenger seat of the BMW. Examination of all the banknotes revealed that every note was counterfeit.
A history of serious crime
This is not Britton's first major conviction. In 2015, he was sentenced to five years and 10 months after being part of a gang responsible for a £230,000 armed robbery at Glasgow's Argyll Arcade. The 2014 raid lasted about four minutes; the gang stole 21 watches, including 19 Hublot watches, valued at £229,601, and the watches were never recovered. The gang targeted the Rox store but were identified after two associates were spotted wearing stolen timepieces in public.
Britton's background included trauma that his defence team referenced during sentencing. His childhood home had been targeted by an unexploded device, and a later attack resulted in his mother being hit by a ricochet. However, his defence advocate Marco Guarino acknowledged that the sentence was inevitable, noting that Britton accepted responsibility for his actions and recognised that his decisions had led to his predicament.
Johnson's breach of serious crime order
Cade Johnson received a separate sentence of two years and seven months for breaching a serious crime prevention order. Johnson had been previously jailed for five years and nine months in December 2019 for involvement in serious organised crime and reset—the possession of property acquired dishonestly. He was arrested alongside two others after officers discovered a fake parcel designed to conceal a pistol, which was addressed to a vet practice at the Forge Retail Park in Glasgow's Parkhead. Police recovered a balaclava, £1,000 in counterfeit money, two full cans of petrol, and Royal Mail uniforms and bags from their vehicle.
The serious crime prevention order imposed at his 2019 sentencing required Johnson to notify police of his movements. He failed to disclose his journey to Scotland with Britton in 2025, a breach that resulted in the additional custodial sentence. His defence counsel, Rhonda Anderson, argued that Johnson had not intended to become involved in criminal activity but was accompanying Britton on what he believed would be a simple car journey. She emphasised that he made no attempt to resist when the vehicle was stopped and cooperated fully with officers.
Key Facts
- Jason Britton was sentenced to five years and three months for possessing a loaded firearm and counterfeit cash totalling £10,285 in criminal property
- The Turkish-made Zoraki model 917-B pistol was fully functional and accompanied by modified .380 ammunition suitable for discharge
- Britton had previously served five years and 10 months for his role in a £230,000 armed robbery at Glasgow's Argyll Arcade in 2014
- Cade Johnson received an additional two years and seven months for breaching a serious crime prevention order by failing to disclose his travel to Scotland
- Officers recovered approximately £10,285 in counterfeit banknotes from the BMW and items dropped during Britton's pursuit
