A truck driver caught at Holyhead Port with a handgun claimed it was to scare off immigrants threatening drivers in France.
These were hidden in his underwear. Manciu worked as a driver for seven years. He drove for a company six months. Manciu delivered parcels to Ireland.
He was going to France when stopped. This happened in Holyhead, said the court. He said it was a fake gun. He told officers he wanted to scare immigrants.
This was when he was in France. But, the gun was real, after investigation. Manciu moved the bullets from his pocket to his pants. He said he saw Border Force officers. Some people can have blanks legally.
He bought the weapon in France. He bought it the week before the incident. Migrants constantly threatened drivers, he reported. He felt threatened, he said. He was threatened by migrants going to the UK.
Manciu is 28 years old, the court stated. He admitted evading weapon/ammo restrictions. His address was a police station. John Wyn Williams defended Manciu. He had no prior convictions, it was said.
He pleaded guilty early. He works hard and feels sorry. He supports his Romanian family. Manciu has health issues.
He has ADHD, the court heard. He is a low risk to re-offend. The judge sentenced him to six months in prison. He will serve some time in custody.
The judge said it was out of character. He never shot the gun, she noted. He also worked very hard. A driver close to him died.
A migrant in France murdered him. No proof existed for this claim. The UK has strict gun laws, stated the judge. The gun will be destroyed then. There were no further costs.