Junming Zhou charged with possessing firearms after found doing military exercises in Royal National Park

A man dressed in camouflage and carrying fake guns in a small town in the Royal National Park was conducting “military exercises” so he could fight in the Ukrainian war, a court has heard.

A man dressed in camouflage and carrying fake guns in the middle of a small town in the Royal National Park was conducting “military exercises” so he could fight in the Ukrainian war, a court has heard.

Junming Zhou, 32, was arrested on Sunday afternoon when police were called to Bundeena after reports a man was carrying guns in the street about 3.50pm.

He appeared in Sutherland Local Court on Monday but was sent for a physiological assessment before he returned to court on Tuesday and applied for release on bail.

Magistrate Philip Stewart labelled Zhou’s alleged conduct as “bizarre”.

Junming Zhou was arrested and charged after he allegedly had gel blaster guns in Bundeena in the Royal National Park on the weekend. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

He said the police statement of facts indicated Zhou was in the Royal National Park about 3.50pm allegedly conducting military exercises with gel blasters.

Zhou allegedly said “it was a drill” to a woman, the court heard.

It is understood he told police he was training so he could fight in the war in Ukraine.

A video of Zhou being arrested and posted to social media shows he was dressed in a camouflage jacket.

A witness in the video said she saw him with a military helmet and taking photos of himself.

She said the firearm “looked pretty real to me”.

Junming Zhou was released from custody where he sat in Sutherland Police Station wearing no shoes. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

Zhou was charged with not keeping a firearm safely; possessing an unregistered firearm; possessing a prohibited weapon in a nature reserve and possessing ammunition for a firearm without holding a licence or permit for a firearm nor ammunition.

He was also charged with possessing a loaded firearm in a public place, possessing an unregistered firearm and affray.

In charge sheet documents tendered to court, the firearms were specified to be gel blasters.

In NSW, it is illegal to possess or use gel blasters without a valid permit, however they are legal in Queensland.

In court, Magistrate Stewart said the psychiatrist who assessed Zhou on Monday said he had no issues with mental illness and released him from hospital before he was returned to custody.

Magistrate Stewart said Zhou did not appear to be a risk to the community based on the report.

The court heard Zhou appeared to be a highly educated man who was in Australia on a student visa and was studying his masters at the University of New South Wales.

Magistrate Stewart said Zhou knew people in the community who would “vouch” for him and he had no criminal history.

The court also heard Zhou was seeing a psychologist for depression and a sleep disorder.

Magistrate Stewart agreed to grant bail imposing the condition that Zhou must live at his home in Kensington, report to police once a week, attend psychologist appointments and surrender his passport within 48 hours of being released.

Zhou is unable to possess any firearm whether real, replica, gel blaster or toy.

The case was adjourned to September 13.