Man charged over Adelaide Hills weapons cache refused bail in Supreme Court
A man facing more than 130 firearms charges has been denied bail after a judge said the court had heard no explanation for the number of guns nor the modification equipment.
Law and Order
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An man charged over an extensive cache of weapons and more than 500kg of ammunition allegedly hidden in the roof and a secret room at his Adelaide Hills farming property has been refused bail in the Supreme Court.
Bail was previously granted in the Adelaide Magistrates Court, but prosecutors appealed the decision to the higher court.
Justice Kevin Nicholson said he had three major concerns about “the very serious nature of the allegations” against the man, 53, who is facing in excess of 130 firearms offences, including multiple counts of possessing a firearm without a licence.
He is yet to enter any pleas.
Justice Nicholson said he had a “real apprehension that the respondent may be a very dangerous person who poses a significant risk to the community” and was concerned he may flee if granted bail.
He was also concerned the man — who is a dual national with another country — may be “tempted to interfere with the ongoing police investigation” while he had “ready access” to communicate with any associates who may also be involved.
“I’m of the view the respondent is not a suitable candidate (for bail),” he said.
If proved, he said the offending was “extremely serious” and likely to attract “a lengthy prison term with a number of years to be served”.
He said the court had “no explanation” why the man was allegedly found with so many weapons, ammunition and machinery — including serial number stamps which could be used to alter firearms.
Justice Nicholson said the guns were located throughout the property, “including in a room accessible only through a book case and secreted in the roof space”, while 11 of those found were loaded at the time.
“In addition, police found in excess of 500kg of ammunition and milling and cutting machinery, manuals and schematics suitable for the manufacture and modification of firearms,” he said.
“In a number of cases, the serial number on the firearm corresponds to that attributable to a firearm believed to be destroyed during earlier amnesty periods.
“Other serial numbers identify firearms registered to other persons, including persons interstate.”
The court has previously heard the man had made some admissions to police, including that he had purchased the weapons before 1996 and was a “gun tinkerer”.
The licensed gun owner had 38 firearms lawfully registered.
Police have previously alleged an initial three-day raid of the man’s property uncovered 164 illegal firearms and their parts — from bolt-action rifles, high-powered rifles and an aged machine gun — as well as hundreds of kilos of ammunition, explosives and a silencer.
Police also seized throwing knives, daggers, bayonets and a crossbow.
The court has heard more weapons were later found concealed at the property and that police had suspicions the man was manufacturing and trafficking the weapons.
The man is next expected to appear in court in August next year.