Jomen Daniel Blanket sentenced for weapons charges in Mackay court
A set of throwing knives were said to be “ornaments”, but other illegal items found in this Mackay man’s home were less easy to dismiss.
A marine worker was caught with a stash of dangerous weapons and drugs when police raided his Mackay home.
Jomen Daniel Blanket pleaded guilty in Mackay Magistrates Court to eight charges including unlawful possession of explosives, ammunition, dangerous drugs, a shortened firearm and category m weapons.
Among the weapons was a set of throwing knives which the 45-year-old told police were mere ornaments he’d had for years.
The court also heard police found 0.23 grams of cannabis, a bong and bottles of pregabalin medicine in his home.
Police prosecutor Linden Pollard said the discovery of a rifle and hollow point ammunition were an aggravating feature given the bullets were “designed to create damage upon impact”.
Nick Coughlan from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Legal Services said his client had “foolishly” taken ownership of the firearm from a friend when he didn't have a license to carry it and had been using the knives as ornaments.
In a statement to police, Blanket said he used the knives to throw at his tree in the backyard, and that it had been years since he had used them.
He said that Blanket was upfront when police searched his home telling officers about the firearm and directing them to the room while no direction was given as to why the search warrant was executed in the first place.
Mr Coughlan said his client had been in and out of work after entering the marine industry.
The court heard Blanket had recently suffered the loss of both his parents in the space of one month which led him to begin abusing meth quite “significantly”.
Magistrate May acknowledged Blanket’s lack of criminal history and struggles with drugs.
She placed him on 10 months of probation, and he was convicted on all counts.
