Ex-Nottingham Forest youth player jailed for more than five years for gun possession

A 2016 knee injury ended the former youth footballer's playing days

A former Nottingham Forest footballer has been jailed for more than five years for gun possession and dangerous driving. Luke Thomas, who was a youth footballer with the Championship club until a serious knee injury ended his career in 2016, was caught by police in June last year after crashing a stolen van into a tree and dumping a gun in a nearby garden. In court the 20-year-old admitted carrying the gun and ammunition, as it was revealed that he first became a courier for criminals after getting into trouble two years ago. According to a report by the Nottingham Post, Thomas suffered from depression in the aftermath of his injury before getting involved in crime. At the time of the offence he was reportedly on a probation order for a lesser offence also relating to a weapon. Though he evaded police on the day of the incident, Thomas was found on July 4 last year. Police later found text messages to his partner revealing that he would remain away from home, saying "Feds would come hard" if he were to return.