Clermont mum pleads guilty to multiple weapons charges

Clermont mother of three allowed a person to use the weapon despite not holding a licence.

Jessica Emma Low, 37, pleaded guilty at Clermont Magistrates Court on August 11 to possessing an unregistered firearm and the unlawful supply of weapon.

A heavily pregnant Clermont woman fronted Clermont Magistrates Court on Wednesday for possessing an unregistered firearm used for nuisance birds in the yard.

Police searched the home of Jessica Emma Low, 37, on April 25 at Clermont, locating three weapons and a box of caliber ammunition in a gun safe.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Paul Cramp said two of the weapons were registered, and one, described as an air rifle or BB gun, was unregistered.

Low’s fiance, who was also at the home, made comments about using the category A, unregistered weapon to deal with nuisance birds attacking a fruit tree in the yard, the court heard.

Low later told police she allowed her partner access to the weapon, despite him not being the holder of a weapons license.

Lawyer, Allanah Patron of Brooke Winter Solicitors, said her client was a full time mum of three and was pregnant with her fourth child.

Ms Patron said Low had no criminal history and fully accepted responsibility for her actions.

She told the court the weapon hadn’t been used for anything malicious, but to scare away birds from the property.

Low pleaded guilty to possessing an unregistered firearm and the unlawful supply of weapon.

Magistrate Robert Walker said weapons related offences were generally taken quite seriously “because firearms are dangerous”, although he accepted the offences in question were at the less serious end of the scale.

Low was fined $500. Convictions were not recorded and Mr Walker ordered the forfeiture of the firearm.