Couple's Split Leads to Courtroom Clash After Police Raid
A man who claimed to be a cryptocurrency investor and his former girlfriend, a professional photographer, have been found guilty on a series of criminal charges following a police raid on a Birmingham apartment. The case at Birmingham Crown Court heard how Jordan Edwards, 32, and Kristine Ermansone, 37, turned on each other after their relationship broke down, each denying knowledge of a gun, ammunition, cocaine, and £9,100 in cash discovered at her flat.
Raid in Hockley Uncovers Hidden Gun and Drugs
West Midlands Police conducted a raid on Ermansone's flat at Spectacle Works on Hylton Street, Hockley, on January 12, 2025. Officers were in pursuit of Edwards, who was wanted in connection with a shooting incident the previous August. During the search, they made a significant discovery stashed behind a kitchen kickboard: a firearm, bullets, and a quantity of cocaine. A further £9,100 in cash was found elsewhere in the address.
The shooting in question occurred on August 28, 2024, in a car park next to Woodgate Valley Health Centre on Glen Side, Bartley Green. A fight had broken out, and it was alleged Edwards arrived armed and fired three shots. One shot hit Elvis Ftoni in the abdomen, while his brother, Aleks Ftoni, was seriously injured after being hit over the head with a brick.
Courtroom Denials and Guilty Verdicts
During the trial, the now-separated couple blamed each other for the items found in the flat. Edwards denied the gun, drugs, and cash were his, claiming Ermansone had been 'unfaithful'. Ermansone, a Latvian national who has worked for clients like Red Bull and Amazon, stated she was in a 'difficult' and 'controlling' relationship and had no knowledge of the illicit items or Edwards' alleged involvement in the shooting.
After deliberation, the jury returned its verdicts. Jordan Edwards was found guilty of possessing a prohibited weapon, two counts of possessing ammunition without a certificate, possession of class A drugs with intent to supply, and possession of criminal property (cash). In relation to the Bartley Green shooting, he was found not guilty of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life but was convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Aleks Ftoni. A charge of conspiracy to commit robbery was dropped.
Kristine Ermansone was cleared of the firearms and ammunition offences but was convicted of the drugs supply and cash charges.
Following the trial, the pair are now awaiting their fate. Sentencing for both Jordan Edwards and Kristine Ermansone is scheduled for February 6, 2026.
