David John Hall caught with a gun in the oven

A Gold Coast man caught with a loaded, sawn-off shotgun in his oven also had more than $39,000 in cash. He claims he was concerned after befriending the ex-partner of “someone well-known” on the Coast.

A GOLD Coast man caught with a loaded, sawn-off shotgun in his oven also had more than $39,000 in cash in an overnight bag.

David John Hall stashed the weapon because he was concerned after “befriending the ex-partner of someone well-known on the Gold Coast”, the court was told.

He was also caught with six shotgun shells on top of his fridge and a stash of drugs.

The 33-year-old pleaded guilty in the Southport Magistrates Court on Friday to multiple charges including possession of a weapon, possession of tainted property, possession of explosives, possession of dangerous drugs and driving under the influence.

Magistrate John McInnes sentenced Hall to 12 months prison with immediate release on parole.

He also disqualified him from driving for four months.

Prosecutor Bob Falconer said a police raid at Hall’s Labrador home in April last year found cannabis in the kitchen and about 6.3g of a green liquid Hall identified as GBL – a drug similar to fantasy – about 4.979g of pure methamphetamine and 0.571g of MDA in rock form.

He said on July 5 last year police searched a Mermaid Beach home and saw Hall leave the property in his car. A search of him found about 0.799g of methamphetamine.

Police then went to Hall’s home where they found a sawn-off, double-barrel shot gun in the oven with two shotgun shells.

Mr Falconer said Hall told police he was aware of the shotgun and it had been there about three days.

During the search, police also found $39,550 cash rolled up in a bundles and placed in a clothes bag, and six shotgun shells on top of the fridge.

Mr Falconer said police alleged the defendant knew the money was from crime and some of the money had been given to him by a woman he was in a relationship with.

The court was told Hall was also pulled for driving under the influence in April this year in Arundel.

Defence lawyer Jason Grant, of Grant Lawyers, told the court prior to being found with the gun Hall was “going through a difficult time” after he had “befriended the ex-partner of someone well-known on the Gold Coast”.

Mr Grant said when police were talking to him they said: “We are concerned you may have armed yourself. We are here to help”.

Mr Grant told the court Hall also suffers anxiety, depression and obsessive compulsive disorder and was seeking to go through rehabilitation.

Hall’s admission of guilt came just two days after Hall was acquitted for allegedly threatening a family with a gun in May this year.

Hall had maintained the black item the family saw was a black, designer thong.

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Originally published as David John Hall caught with a gun in the oven