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Firearm cache found at man’s home
SA’s girlfriend attempted to sell one of his firearms. Later that night, SA returned home and accused her of selling one of his rifles to another person, which caused an argument. SA then handcuffed one cuff around his wrist and one cuff around her wrist. SA told her that the key was in the garage and pulled his girlfriend towards the garage.
She managed to escape from the plastic handcuffs and went to Dee Why Police Station. There, she alleged that she was assaulted and provided them with a Domestic Violence Evidence in Chief. Due to this, police were granted a search warrant for SA’s premises.
During the execution of the search warrant, a considerable amount of firearm ammunition was located. Police also found two firearms which were not registered and a black crossbow with an attached scope. SA later participated in an electronically recorded interview, where he informed police that he brought the weapons back from his grandparents’ property in Taree. They were found when his grandparents bought the property and SA intended to hand them into police. SA also told police the location of the third firearm, which was the cause of the initial argument.
Assault and firearms charges at Manly Local Court
O’Brien Solicitors successfully represented SA at Manly Local Court. After successful negotiation, the charge of assault occasioning bodily harm was withdrawn.
SA plead guilty to the remaining sequences and we appeared at Manly Local Court on his behalf. We successfully outlined that SA was angry at his girlfriend because the person she allegedly sold it to was dangerous and he was worried someone would get hurt. Furthermore, we also asked the Court to consider the purposes of the Firearms Act 1996 (NSW) in relation to public safety.
We successfully convinced the Court that SA aimed to protect the public safety, at his own detriment, by forfeiting a firearm to police. SA was sentenced to a community corrections order of 12 months with supervision for each charge of possessing unregistered firearm. He received a community corrections order of 2 years with supervision for possess prohibited weapon without permit, a community corrections order of 6 months with supervision for common assault and a $500 fine for possess ammunition without a license or permit.
If you are facing firearms charges, contact O’Brien Criminal and Civil Solicitors on (02) 9261 4281 to set up a free appointment with the firearms defence lawyers in our Sydney office.
