Helensburgh: Timothy North charged over alleged sale of gun
A South Coast has faced court accused of selling a rifle to a ‘Doomsday Prepper’ he met on Gumtree. Police also allegedly found cannabis and steroids after searching his home.
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A Helensburgh man arrested by Strike Force Raptor after he allegedly sold a rifle to a man he met on Gumtree while discussing war memorabilia has been granted strict conditional bail.
Timothy Gordon Leslie North was arrested following a traffic stop at Stanwell Tops on Wednesday afternoon, accused of supplying a gun to “doomsday prepper” Jason Maloney in 2019.
After the arrest, police searched his home, where they allegedly discovered two 10mL bottles of steroids, an air rifle, ammunition and 47 cannabis plants in the back garden.
As a result, he was charged with supply firearm to person unauthorised to possess it, possess prohibited drug, possess unauthorised firearm, cultivate prohibited plant, and possess ammunition without holding licence/permit/authority.
He appeared before Wollongong Local Court on Monday, where Magistrate Michael Stoddart granted his application for bail, imposing several strict conditions.
In documents tendered to the court, police allege they became aware of North in March 2019, after intercepting calls to Maloney’s phone.
On March 22, police allegedly intercepted a call between the pair, who were addressing the alleged sale of what’s understood to be a firearm, with North saying he wanted to “give it a good clean and oil it all up,” before Maloney arrived at his home.
Later that day, police allege in court documents that Maloney used an encrypted messaging service to text another man known to police about the intended purchase of the gun.
“So I have managed to verbal my mate to let go of a decent shooter,” he allegedly said in the message.
“Still won’t part with his SKS but has a Winchester level action 30/30 in good nick … I want to put some rounds through it before I make my mind up.”
In court documents, police allege they monitored Maloney arriving in Helensburgh around 7.30pm that evening, before North allegedly gave him the Winchester rifle.
Some days later on March 25, police allege Maloney contacted another man known to police about the sale of the rifle, saying “Very good condition. You can have her for $7.5”.
Police allege that two days later, Maloney met the man in Dee Why where he handed over the rifle in exchange for $7,500 cash. Maloney has since been charged in relation to the alleged incident, and is before the District Court.
In court documents, police allege that after North was arrested on Wednesday, he made admissions to supplying the firearm to Maloney, and that he had another forearm at his Helensburgh address.
In an interview with the arresting officers at Wollongong station, police allege in court documents that North said he first met Maloney through Gumtree after he responded to an ad about the sale of war memorabilia.
“During conversations Maloney and North engaged in conversation about the supply of firearms and North subsequently sold Maloney a 30/30 lever action rifle that was stored in his roof for over 10 years,” court documents read.
North allegedly stated he sold Maloney the gun for $1600, and that he only did so because he was in “financial trouble” and needed to pay his mortgage.
After the interview, police conducted a search of North’s home, where they allegedly found the rifle he’d admitted to owning in his wardrobe, and 429 rounds of ammunition. Initial checks allegedly uncovered the firearm was registered to one of his mates, and that North did not possess a firearm licence.
When asked about why he had it, police allege in the documents North said he’d borrowed it for two weeks to “scare birds away from his aviary”.
As well as the gun, police allegedly found 47 cannabis plants between 10cm and 60cm in height, which police allege North said he planned to cultivate for personal use.
On Thursday, Magistrate Stoddart granted a bail application, with his family putting up a $10,000 bail surety.
As part of his bail conditions, North was ordered not to leave NSW, not to have more than one mobile phone, report daily to Sutherland police station, surrender his passport and adhere to a strict curfew.
The matter will return to court on March 10.