Moral: Don't be a good samaritan ...

[Bruce in West Oz]

Border Watch
(Mount Gambier) South Australia

A man who agreed to store a friend's gun, even though he did not have a
licence, made a "silly decision that landed him in hot water", the
Mount Gambier Magistrates Court heard recently. Daniel Joseph Dillon,
30, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Grant Harris to charges of
possessing a firearm without a licence, possessing an unregistered
firearm and failing to keep a firearm secured. Dillon was charged after
officers carried out a search of his Mount Gambier home on June 2, 2002,
following an anonymous tip-off to police.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Norm Elliott told the court that
during the search, officers located an unloaded 0.22 calibre rifle in
the rear shed, wrapped in clothing. Further investigation revealed the
gun was not registered in South Australia. Defence counsel Tony Pasin
said Dillon had agreed to store the gun and other possessions for his
de-facto's ex-husband, who was away working in Queensland.

Mr Pasin said during this time his client and the ex-husband had a
falling out involving a number of "heated phone calls". "(A few days)
later the police get an anonymous phone call telling them there was an
unlicensed firearm on this premises, "Mr Pasin said. The defence
counsel described Dillon as "a good samaritan who has been laid out to
the slaughter".

In handing down sentence, Magistrate Harris said Dillon was wel aware he
was breaking the law by taking custody of the gun. He recorded a
conviction on all three counts, imposing one sentence for the three
charges.

Dillon was fined $500, ordered to pay $234.20 in court costs and was
disqualified from holding or obtaining a firearms licence until further
order. Magistrate Harris also ordered the gun be forfeited to the
crown.

For an unloaded .22 rimfire? (Yes, it was a rimfire - "0.22 calibre" is the way the media here describe a .22 rimfire.)

The police get a search warrant on the strength of an "anonymous tip-off"!?!

Bruce

 

[Pendragon]

No doubt what we will have to look forward to if they get very far with the "safe storage" and mandatory licensing ideas.

Of course everyone knows that the tip was from the owner.

He should have said he had no idea it was there and that he let the guy store some stuff.

Can they get you for not knowing some idiot illegally left a dangerous gun on your property? After all, that would then make you the victim right?

 

[Standing Wolf]

(A few days) later the police get an anonymous phone call telling them there was an
unlicensed firearm on this premises...

What a hell hole!

 

[Lock Down]

Kerry's packin'

Anybody happen to know what transpired regarding the Great Kerry Packer's fall from grace in much the same circumstances ? Perhaps Glocks aren't covered by the safe storage Regs.

 

[Bruce in West Oz]

Packer won't be charged: police
April 11, 2003

AUSTRALIA's richest man, Kerry Packer, will not be prosecuted in relation to
a pistol stolen from his Sydney office, NSW Police said today.

Police said the media mogul would face no charges over a failure to safely
secure the Glock semi-automatic pistol, which was stolen in January.

Earlier this week, a computer entry error led to Mr Packer's name being
listed on court records to appear in Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court.

But police today confirmed that no action would be taken against Mr Packer.

"The decision not to prosecute Mr Packer is based on legal advice from both
the Director of NSW Police Legal Services and independent Counsel, that any
charge in relation to the theft would be unlikely to succeed and would
therefore be against the public interest," police said in a statement.

Investigations into the break-in at the PBL office and the theft of the
pistol are continuing.

See, one law for "them" and another law for "us".

 

[Waitone]

Clear cut example of the Golden Rule.
"Them whats got the gold, rules"