Mohammad Tabbaa found with loaded guns at Hurstville train station

A young father will have to wait a week to find out if he will go to jail after police found him with two loaded pistols at a south Sydney train station.

Mohammad Tabbaa, 22, was charged with firearms offences and previously appeared in Sutherland Local Court. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

An apprentice electrician has denied any links to gangs, but failed to provide any explanation to the courts as to why he had two loaded firearms inside a bag at a busy train station.

Mohammad Tabbaa, 22, was due to be sentenced for possessing unauthorised pistols among other charges on Tuesday, December 6, at Sutherland Local Court.

However, the case was adjourned to next week for Magistrate Phillip Stewart to hand down his sentence.

Agreed facts tendered to the court said police spotted Tabbaa, who they recognised from previous interactions, at Hurstville train station about 6.30pm on February 22.

Police had activated lights to pull over a driver of a Holden Cruze on Ormonde Pde for a random breath test, while Tabbaa walked towards the car.

Officers spoke to the driver and Tabbaa, with the latter claiming he was being picked up by his mate.

Mohammad Tabbaa, 22, appeared in Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday he was due to be sentenced for possessing unauthorised pistols among other charges. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

Officers noticed Tabbaa appeared nervous and repeatedly grabbed a black leather satchel bag he was wearing, documents state.

The driver of the car, who also seemed nervous and was shaking, originally said he did not know Tabbaa but changed his story to say he had come to pick him up.

Police searched the car, suspecting the men had drugs on them, before 2g of cannabis was found inside.

The officers then searched Tabbaa’s bag, discovering a CZ75 B9mm semi automatic pistol, which had a silver handle, documents state.

Officers removed the magazine which contained 9mm Luger rounds but no bullets inside the chamber.

Court documents state all that was required to fire the gun was to rack the slide. Police also found more ammunition inside the bag.

Mohammad Tabbaa, 22, attempted to conceal his identity when he previously appeared in Sutherland Local Court. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

Tabbaa was arrested before he was strip searched inside a police caged truck for any further weapons, with nothing found on him, before he was taken to Kogarah police station.

At the station, police found a large clear resealable bag containing about 50 rounds of 9mm Luger and .22 calibre ammunition inside the satchel bag, documents said.

Police also located a very small pistol, which did not have a serial number, and was ready to be fired.

The pistol had one complete .22 round in one of the barrels, another was empty and the other barrel contained a spent .22 calibre empty casing.

A further two mobile phones were found inside the bag, in addition to the phone Tabbaa had in his pocket, with all three being seized for analysis.

Tabbaa refused to talk to police, with the documents not revealing why he had the guns.

He was charged with two counts each of possessing an unauthorised pistol, not keeping a prohibited firearm safely and possessing a loaded firearm in a public place and one count of possessing ammunition without holding a licence.

Tabbaa will be sentenced next week.

Tabbaa’s lawyer Vinny Vijay told the court his client did not have the guns for “financial gain”, nor needed them for self protection, and “strongly denied” any affiliation with outlaw motorcycle groups or gangs.

He submitted the offence was isolated, short in duration and no drugs nor money were found.

Mr Vijay said Tabbaa did not know the other man well and denied he had met up with him for illegal activity.

Mr Vijay said he could give the court no explanation as to the reason why Tabbaa had the firearms, noting he had associated with “bad influences” in his youth but had tried to cut ties.

The court also heard Tabbaa made no real attempt to conceal the firearms but conceded having a loaded firearm was serious.

Mr Vijay told the court Tabbaa had a nearly three-year-old daughter, and had been a hard worker but his apprenticeship as an electrician was on hold while he was charged.

The court heard Tabbaa had financial difficulties but had no drug or alcohol issues, adding he had been treating his mental health through seeing a psychologist after his onerous time in custody due to Covid lockdowns.

The court heard the offences were “out of character” and Tabbaa was remorseful, had support from family and friends, and was therefore unlikely to reoffend.

Tabbaa will be sentenced on December 15.