Gymea bus driver Brett Peterson sentenced for guns, crossbows stash

The Gymea bus driver came under police notice during an investigation into the importation and manufacture of firearms before investigators uncovered guns and five crossbows at his home.

Brett Peterson, 59, appeared in Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday December 20, 2022 where he was sentenced to an intensive correction order for two years after pleaded guilty to 24 charges of possessing firearms, weapons and drugs. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

A bus driver and weapons enthusiast who imported parts and tools to manufacture illegal firearms and crossbows has narrowly avoided full-time jail.

Brett Peterson, 59, appeared in Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday where he was sentenced after pleading guilty to 24 charges of possessing firearms, weapons and drugs.

Agreed facts tendered to court state the Department of Home Affairs identified Peterson as importing parts and tools to manufacture firearms, specifically a FGC-9 Hybrid, which is a 3D-printable semiautomatic pistol.

Police said the parts included “steel pipe explosions”, which were commonly used as the barrel for a firearm, as well as rifling buttons and a scope.

Brett Peterson has had a lifelong interest in weapons. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

Peterson had imported a number of items from a shopping list in a Deterrence Dispensed FGC-9 construction manual, court documents stated.

Court documents state Peterson had purchased 10 of the 44 items listed in the shopping list between May 2020 and May 2022.

Police said Peterson had imported up to 50 items consistent with the manufacture of a privately-made firearm.

The documents state Peterson had also purchased, imported and had delivered to his home crossbow bolts, arrow shaft and arrowheads, a laser and wood grip, which investigators believed were being used to manufacture crossbows; as well as items to make a taser gun.

Peterson did not hold a firearms or dealer’s licence nor was a registered user in any state.

Police stopped Peterson on July 19 about 12.20pm at Taren Point where they searched his car and found a small amount of methamphetamine.

Brett Peterson during a previous court appearance where he pleaded guilty to firearms, weapons and drugs charges. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

Investigators then searched his home, where Peterson admitted he had three rifles, two of which belonged to his father, and an air rifle, along with cannabis and more meth.

Officers seized the rifles, five crossbows, two expandable batons, and pellets for the air rifle.

Peterson pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing an unauthorised firearm; four counts of possessing an unregistered prohibited firearm; two counts of possessing ammunition without a licence; 10 counts of possessing a prohibited weapon without a permit; five counts of possessing a prohibited drug. and driving while his licence was suspended.

In court, lawyer Bridget Barnett said two of the rifles previously belonged to Peterson’s father, adding the crossbows and slingshot were going to be used for fishing.

She noted the ammunition was not stored with the rifles and the air rifle pellets were not able to be fired easily from the gun.

Ms Barnett said Peterson was cooperative with police when they seized the items, adding he did not have the guns and weapons for “criminal intent”, but he was “very naive” in having them without a licence.

Peterson was sentenced in Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday.

She said Peterson was unlikely to reoffend, remorseful, and had insight and accepted how dangerous the firearms and weapons could be if they fell into the wrong hands.

Ms Barnett said Peterson had a lifelong interest in knives and weaponry, and his business involved selling handmade custom knives.

She said he had not made any income because he was unable to run his business because of firearms and weapons prohibition orders placed on him.

The court heard Peterson had become a bus driver but was not able to continue because his driver’s licence was suspended.

Magistrate Hugh Donnelly accepted Peterson was a person of prior good character, with the firearms charges being his first criminal proceedings.

However he said Peterson “should have known better” about the rules and regulations with keeping and storing firearms and weapons.

Mr Donnelly said the offending was so serious he needed to impose an intensive correction order of two years.