Grieving grandfather fronts court on multiple weapons charges

A southeast Queensland grandfather has copped a whopping $2000 fine following a police search of his property earlier this year after he frightened neighbours by firing a shotgun into the sky.

A Moreton Bay grandfather pleaded guilty to three weapons charges at the Pine Rivers Magistrates Court this week, where the court heard he’d frightened neighbours by firing a shotgun into the sky.

According to police prosecutor Graham Turner, police responded to reports of shots fired just before 5pm on September 29 and found Peter Anthony Balcombe alone on a rural property.

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Balcombe told police the sound the neighbours heard must have been a go kart engine backfiring, but the two spent shotgun shells on the ground told a different story.

Police found a large quantity of shotgun ammunition in two full metal storage boxes which matched the bullets left on the ground, but they could not find a gun.

Peter Balcombe was found guilty of three weapons charges after police located a shotgun and ammunition at his Kurwongbah property.

Police executed a search warrant at Balcombe’s Kurwongbah property just after 3pm on October 10, where they discovered the shotgun hidden in a green bag in Balcombe’s walk-in closet, along with an unspent shotgun round and spent shotgun shells.

Balcombe, a father of five and grandfather of three who does not have a license to own a gun, told police the gun and the ammunition belonged to his deceased friend whom he thought removed the gun years ago, though he later admitted it was bequeathed to him.

He was found guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm and two counts of unlawful possession of ammunition, ordered to forfeit the items and fined $2000.

No conviction was recorded.