Jacob Arthur Pointon sentenced in Townsville Magistrates Court for storing gun in hotel room
A housekeeper at a popular Townsville hotel had a big shock when she peered under the bed of a man’s room. Here’s what she found.
A housekeeper at a popular Townsville hotel had a big shock when she peered under the bed of a station manager’s room.
Jacob Arthur Pointon appeared in Townsville Magistrates Court on Wednesday after deciding to keep a shortened shotgun in his hotel room.
Police prosecutor Lennon Stathoulis said on May 1 this year police received a phone call from management at the Mercure Hotel after a cleaner had found a gun underneath a guest’s bed.
“Police conducted a search and they found a weapon,” he said.
“Inspection of the firearm revealed it was modified with a shortened barrel and it was loaded at the time.”
Pointon later told police that he had driven to Townsville and hadn’t realised he left the firearm in his car until he arrived.
“He thought the safest place for the firearm would be to keep it in the hotel instead of keeping it in his car,” Mr Stathoulis said.
Pointon also said he hadn’t realised the gun had been modified.
Defence lawyer Michael Hibble instructed by Kalo Law emphasised the gun was loaded with a rubber shell which he had been using as part of his job as a station manager on a rural property.
“Him and his wife were leaving to go to Townsville for the check-up for their newborn at that time, and he completely forgot about (the gun),” he said.
“He made what he thought was the best decision and put it in there underneath the bed as far away as possible … there’s no nefarious purpose.”
Magistrate Richard Lehmann reprimanded Pointon, stating it was clear he wasn’t a fit and proper person to hold a gun license.
“If police pulled you over and found it in the car, you would have been going to jail for 12 months,” he said.
“The fact that it was loaded is stupidity.”
Pointon had no criminal history and pleaded guilty to possessing a shortened firearm and failure to secure storage of weapons as a registered owner.
He was fined $5000, the weapon was forfeited and no convictions were recorded.
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Originally published as Jacob Arthur Pointon sentenced in Townsville Magistrates Court for storing gun in hotel room
