Brian ‘Bomac’ McIntyre was reportedly detained by Manchester airport police over the weekend after a gun was allegedly found in is luggage.
A report from the UK Daily Mail revealed that the premier boxing trainer was arrested Sunday morning in the Terminal 2 departure lounge while awaiting an international flight to Atlanta. The weapon was allegedly discovered through the airport baggage scan. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officials then reportedly arrested McIntyre.
“At around 10:45 am on Sunday 3 September 2023, officers were called to reports of a possible firearm being found in hold luggage by airport staff at Manchester Airport,” a GMP spokesperson informed the Daily Mail’s Mike Keegan, who broke the story. “After initial inspection by security staff, GMP officers attended, and the firearm was seized.
“Subsequently, a man has been arrested for possession of a firearm and remains in custody for further questioning.”
Police officials did not specifically identify McIntyre, nor would offer any additional comment to BoxingScene.com other than deferring to the spokesperson’s general statement. A subsequent report by Sky Sports suggested that the weapon carried a “magazine and ammunition contained within it,” though Boxing Scene was not yet able to confirm that detail.
An update from the Daily Mail revealed that McIntyre, 53, was charged with possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition for a firearm without a certificate. He was remanded into custody and is due to appear in court on October 9.
McIntyre was in country to lead the corner of Chris Eubank Jr., who stopped Liverpool’s Liam Smith (33-4-1, 20KOs) in the tenth-round of their one-sided rematch this past Saturday at AO Arena in Manchester. Eubank (33-3, 24KOs) brought aboard McIntyre and his team earlier this summer as part of sweeping changes made by the second-generation middleweight following his fourth-round stoppage defeat to Smith earlier this year.
The win by Eubank further strengthened McIntyre’s stance as the frontrunner for 2023 Trainer of the Year. The Omaha (Nebraska)-based cornerman is best known for his career-long work with three-division champ and pound-for-pound king Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford (40-0, 31KOs).
Reports from the UK did not indicate whether the reportedly discovered firearm belongs to McIntyre or if it was in his possession or anyone among his team upon arrival from the US.
Possession of a handgun is generally prohibited in the UK, which carries among the strictest penalties in the world. The maximum penalty for possession of a concealed weapon is five years, according to Sections 1 and 2 of the UK Firearms Act 1968.
A message left by Boxing Scene seeking confirmation of McIntyre’s safety and wellbeing went unreturned as this goes to publication.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox