GUN crime statistics have fallen in the borough, marked by the successful prosecution of a man keeping firearms in a Hounslow home.

Sukhdev Khakh, of West End Road, Southall, was jailed for six years at Kingston Crown Court last Wednesday after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm with the intent to endanger life.

Khakh was arrested in January 2003 after intelligence was received that he was linked to firearms and the possession of class A drugs. The Met also launched an inquiry after they received information that Khakh was boasting of corrupt police contacts who were helping him with his activities.

The Met's Central task Force and the Anti-Corruption Command became involved in the investigation and a search was carried out at a home on Hazelmere Avenue, Hounslow, where Khakh was known to stay. They recovered a Beretta semi-automatic pistol along with pictures of Khakh holding a handgun and he was subsequently arrested.

The allegations of corruption were found to have no foundation in truth. DAC Stephen Roberts, Director of Professional Standards, said: "There was found to be no evidence at all to suggest his claims were anything more than boastful attempts to increase his standing amongst his criminal contacts. It is vital that we are able to prove the integrity of officers so that they can continue their career without any shadow hanging over them."

DCI Brian Henderson, from the Central Task Force who led the inquiry, said: "Today's sentence should leave criminals in no doubt that gun-related crime will not be tolerated in London. This man was known to be a main player involved in serious and organised criminality in Southall and south west London and the streets will be a lot safer as a result of his conviction."

Statistics released by the Met last week show that gun crime is down by 12 per cent in the Hounslow borough, with an overall decrease of 7.4 per cent in reported incidents of all crime.