Corey Ronald Tozer, 26, pleaded guilty in the Greymouth District Court on Wednesday to unlawful possession of non-prohibited firearms and unlawful possession of ammunition.
The court heard Tozer was a passionate hunter who supplemented his income with shooting game animals.
However, his firearms licence was revoked by police in 2015.
In April last year, Tozer had been driving through Springfield with a ute-load of carcases to sell as pet food, when he was stopped and subsequently searched after police established neither Tozer or his passenger were licensed.
Police found a box of ammunition in the vehicle, prompting a search of Tozer’s address.
According to the summary of facts, Tozer had first texted an associate asking him to retrieve firearms from a wardrobe at his address.
Police, however, found four rifles in his wardrobe. In a separate bedroom, another rifle and scope was located hidden between a mattress and bed base.
The bolt was in place and the magazine removed but sitting beside it, containing three rounds of ammunition.
Under the bonnet of Tozer’s Hilux that was parked in the driveway at the time, another hunting rifle and scope was found. This time the rifle had a magazine affixed with five rounds of ammunition in it.
In total three shotgun cartridges and 46 rounds of various ammunition were located in various places through the house and parked vehicle.
None of the six firearms located were locked or secured in any way.
Tozer told police the firearms were solely for the purpose of hunting, as it was his passion.
Lawyer Stewart Sluis echoed that to Judge Noel Walsh.
"It would be fairly safe to say he’s a hunting enthusiast.
"There’s no allegation of any other impropriety like gang connections or drug dealing.
"This is simply a young man who says he’s now learned his lesson to follow correct procedure to be a licensed gunholder."
Mr Sluis said Tozer was still hunting, but with dogs not guns.
"He doesn’t use a firearm any more. He’s had a huge wake-up call from the loss of the guns he shouldn’t have had in the first place."
Judge Walsh accepted there was nothing "sinister" about the cache of guns and bullets.
He convicted Tozer on both counts, and made an order for the destruction of the ammunition and forfeiture of the firearms. Tozer was also sentenced to 80 hours of community work. — Greymouth Star
