James Barnham Baker: Shocking weapons find at Tweed Heads home
A Tweed Heads man had a licence for 13 registered firearms, but when police arrived at his home they found more. Two days later he made a shocking admission.
Police & Courts
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A call for a domestic check up has unearthed a massive cache of weapons in a Tweed Heads home.
Court documents state police were called to James Barnham Baker’s Charles St home after he was accused of pushing his pregnant daughter on February 23, 2021 - an incident for which he is not facing charges.
Police were aware the 74-year-old was a firearms collector and lawful category A, B and G firearms licence holder with 13 registered firearms.
Officers told Baker after they arrived his firearms would be seized and licence suspended.
He escorted police to a cabinet where his firearms were stored.
Officers found the cabinet was unlocked, which was a breach of approved storage requirements.
After permission from Baker, police searched the home and found numerous prohibited weapons including flick knives, slingshots, a blowgun and darts, knuckle dusters, rifles, shotguns and revolvers.
A short time later more police arrived to assist with the seizure.
Police unlocked a storeroom and found a metal storage cage where they found four more guns and 23 boxes of various ammunition.
The ammunition included a box of .45 caliber rounds, which Baker did not have permission to possess.
Two days after the search Baker went to the Tweed Heads Police Station and said he had more firearms to surrender.
He said they were stored in the roof and that he didn’t initially surrender them because he was “in shock”.
Baker pleaded guilty in Tweed Heads Local Court on February 18 to unauthorised possession of firearms.
Charges of not having approved firearms storage, two counts of possessing prohibited weapons, possessing prohibited firearms and possessing ammunition without a licence will also proceed to the district court as back up charges on a 166 certificate.
The case was adjourned to be mention in Lismore District Court on April 18.
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