A MAN caught selling a sawn-off shotgun has been jailed for three years.

Derek Eadie was watched by police taking £980 before passing two men the weapon in a Sports Direct bag.

The 30-year-old committed the crime yards from his family home in Glasgow's Dalmarnock on September 24, 2021.

He later denied knowledge of the gun and claimed he was making the transaction to pay off a debt.

Eadie pleaded guilty today at the High Court in Glasgow to possession of a firearm without holding a certificate.

The court heard police received intelligence that Eadie would be handing the gun over to someone.

Officers looked on in an unmarked vehicle as Eadie exited his home with the Sports Direct bag and met two men who got out a taxi.

They were seen to converse before a bag containing £980 was handed over to Eadie.

Officers swooped in on the trio before Eadie tried to escape but was quickly caught and arrested.

Prosecutor Christopher McKenna said: "One of the officers looked inside the bag and saw it contained black bin-liner.

"On unwrapping the bin-liner a blue towel was observed as was a trigger, barrel and stock of a shotgun."

Eadie was asked by officers about knowledge of the cash, he admitted that he was due £1000.

When informed that it was £980 in the bag, Eadie replied: "They must have bumped me then."

Firearms officers later examined the bag and identified as double-barrelled shortened shotgun from an Italian manufacturer designed to discharge 12 shot cartridges.

Eadie was DNA tested meantime, where he said: "I gave you a DNA test because I'm innocent, my DNA will not appear on any of it. I only understood what it was when the sergeant told me."

Calum Weir, defending, told the court that the dad became unemployed from zero-hours contract work as a result of the pandemic.

The lawyer added: "He found himself in significant financial difficulties.

"He had the gun for approximately one hour before being detained by police.

"His financial gain was to be paid to others due to financial debt.

"On one view, he could have gone to the police but he did not have that option."

It was revealed that Eadie's previous convictions include jail terms for assault and robbery as well as knife possession.

Judge Lord Lake said: "There is no lawful legitimate reason for this weapon and it is used to cause violence.

"The fact is you have a relevant criminal record and were selling this to a third party who would likely use it in crimes.

"I need to impose punishment to mark the seriousness and for deterrent purposes."