A Cromwell man without a firearms licence was found with an illegally stored rifle and ammunition when police searched his home for cannabis.
Police executed the search warrant at the home of Benjamin John Oughton on March 1 after receiving a tip-off he was growing the drug.
Four plants were found growing in a glasshouse at the rear of the property, and four more in a rubbish bag in the garage.
The 30-year-old, who was charged with cultivating cannabis and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, told police he had borrowed the rifle from his brother for a hunting trip near Bendigo about two weeks earlier.
At Oughton’s sentencing in the Queenstown District Court this week, Judge Deidre Orchard said he was refused a firearms licence in 2014 due to three prior convictions and because he had been trespassed from several properties in the Hokonui Hills area.
The defendant, who was married and had children, was ashamed to find himself before the court, Judge Orchard said.
Besides illegally possessing the firearm, he had been "far too casual" in how he was storing it.
His brother’s firearms licence was now in jeopardy for allowing the defendant to have the rifle and ammunition.
As she would order the destruction of the firearm, Oughton would have to "make good" the financial loss with his brother.
As for the cannabis found at his home, he was a casual user who thought he would "try his hand" at growing it, she said.
Noting his last convictions — for drink-driving and suspended driving — dated from 2012, she convicted him and imposed a sentence of 120 hours’ community work.
Also sentenced by Judge Orchard on Monday was.—
• Dylan Joshua Harvey, 32, shed hand, of Invercargill, unlawfully interfering with a vehicle, offensive behaviour, June 8, Queenstown, 80 hours’ community work.
