Rodney Evans pleads guilty in Warwick Magistrates Court after being busted with drugs, shotgun, ammo in police raid

A Warwick man has faced court after a police raid uncovered drugs and paraphernalia, as well as a double-barrel shotgun and ammo, at a Rose City address.

A Warwick man has been sentenced after a police raid uncovered a number of concerning items in his home, including a shotgun that was hidden under a mattress.

Rodney Evans pleaded guilty on December 18 to one charge of possessing a weapon (category M), two charges of possessing drugs, one charge of utensil possession and storing explosives without authority.

Warwick Magistrates Court was told that on October 24, police executed a search warrant on an address in the Rose City which found four boxes of ammunition, two glass pipes and a grinder, clip seal bags of cocaine and cannabis, as well as a double-barrel shotgun under a mattress.

Rodney Evans outside Warwick Magistrates Court on December 18, 2023.

Evans told police he had purchased the gun five years ago while travelling in regional Queensland.

Defence lawyer Jack Volkers told the court that Evans kept the shotgun under the bed for “safety,” since arriving in Queensland five years ago.

“His drug use was recreational … and being in court has been a wake up call,” Mr Volkers told the magistrate.

Mr Volkers also said that Evans had lost his employment due to the charges.

Magistrate Virginia Sturgess said the matters were “serious offences” and noted Evans did not have any criminal history, only traffic matters.

Evans was slapped with a $1500 fine, with no convictions recorded.