A man found with three homemade firearms constructed them to ‘prove a concept’, according to a Tasmanian Supreme Court judge.
The former police officer and firefighter told police officers who found the weapons at his home in November last year that he had a “passion for firearms” and had manufactured the guns “out of interest”.
All three firearms, including one .22 calibre homemade single-shot air rifle and two .22 calibre homemade single-shot pistols, were unregistered.
Justice Tamara Jago said that while the man held various firearms licences, he did not have a firearms dealer’s licence.
“I accept your manufacture of these firearms arose from a personal interest in seeing whether you could successfully construct the firearms from concept through to a finished functional product,” Jago said.
“There is no evidence to suggest that you were going to sell or distribute the firearm or use them in any inappropriate manner.”
The man told police he had no plans to take the weapons off his property or to do anything criminal with the guns.
Charges were also laid over approximately 15 .22 calibre air rifle pellets found in a tin, which were not stored in accordance with regulations.
“You voluntarily surrendered those to police,” Jago said. “Other ammunition and firearms were properly stored at the premises.”
“I accept the pellets in the tin were an oversight on your behalf.”
He was fined $3,000 and had the weapons seized.
“Being charged and presented to court has been a salient experience for you and there is minimal risk, in my view, of further offending,” Jago said.
