Chris Eubank’s trainer for his most recent fight has been spared prison after he was arrested for having a gun at Manchester airport.
The American boxing trainer was said to have “carelessly” brought a gun into Britain – but he walked free from court because of “exceptional circumstances”.
Brian McIntyre, 53, said that he forgot that a Smith and Wesson automatic self-loading pistol was in a zip compartment of his suitcase when he flew in from the US in August.
McIntyre, who is based in Omaha, Nebraska, is the long-term coach of the undefeated world champion Terence Crawford. He came to Britain to help prepare Brighton and Hove boxer Chris Eubank Jr for his fight last month with Liam Smith.
Airport officials found the firearm and seven rounds of ammunition still in the zip compartment as McIntyre went through security before his return flight on Sunday 3 September, Manchester Crown Court was told.
McIntyre had a licence to carry the weapon in the United States. He said that at no point was he aware that it was in his luggage until it was detected at the airport.
A number of character witnesses gave evidence, including Crawford, and the court heard about McIntyre’s work in the community in Omaha.
Judge Nicholas Dean, the Honorary Recorder of Manchester, imposed a 20-month jail term, suspended for two years.
McIntyre admitted unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Judge Dean said that McIntyre was a “thoroughly good man” and said that the “exceptional circumstances” of the case had merited a departure from the usual five-year minimum jail term.
He said: “This is manifestly and obviously a case where it is appropriate to suspend the sentence.”
David Toal, prosecuting, said that the gun and ammunition were discovered after McIntyre’s suitcase passed through scanners in Terminal 2 at the airport at just before 9.45am.
Bodyworn footage from a Border Force officer was played to the court. It captured McIntyre saying: “I swear to God, man, I didn’t know that gun was in the bag.”
McIntyre was arrested and later told police that it was a “honest mistake and I deeply regret this”.
In his basis of plea, accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service, the defendant said that the gun and ammunition never left his suitcase while he was in Britain.
He had packed the firearm when travelling to Crawford’s training camp before his world title bout with Errol Spence in Las Vegas in late July.
