Teen who used 3D printer in bid to make gun spared jail
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A teenager who used a 3D printer in an attempt to build a semi-automatic gun has been spared jail. James Maris, 19, used the Christmas present from his parents to manufacture parts for a firearm known as an FGC-9. Maris was caught by police after officers acting on intelligence raided the family home in Rannoch, Perthshire, in May 2023.
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said 3D-printed firearm components were recovered during a search of Maris's bedroom. These included a hammer, magazine, catch, trigger, safety, grip, and a buffer assembly which had been ordered online to allow him to manufacture the gun.
Officers also found ammunition which would have been capable of being fired from the weapon. A court heard how forensic scientists had assessed Maris was nearing the end of the manufacturing process and was in possession of all the parts required to finalise the building of the complete firearm.
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'Fascination with firearms'. COPFS said Maris admitted to the authorities that he had a fascination with firearms and purchased the 3D gun parts online from his laptop. Judge Lady Hood noted that Maris had told police he had built it "for a hobby and had no intention of using it to hurt anyone".
