Andrew Murphy: Batemans Bay man pleads guilty to gun cache following drug ‘spiral’

A South Coast father of four busted transporting multiple illicit weapons, including sawn-off shotguns, has been told by a magistrate his offences are “the most serious” to come before the local court.

A Batemans Bay small business owner and father of four busted transporting a cache of illicit weapons turned to crime in the wake of a devastating family tragedy, a South Coast court has heard.

Andrew Murphy pleaded guilty at Batemans Bay Local Court on Monday to three counts of possessing a shortened and unregistered firearm, acquiring firearms and ammo contrary to a prohibition order, and driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle with unpaid taxes.

The 40-year-old has been in custody on remand since May 13 after a routine roadside traffic stop on the Princes Hwy north of Batemans Bay revealed the weapons cache concealed in a hidden space next to the fuel tank, according to agreed police facts.

A search of the vehicle by Batemans Bay Police uncovered three illicit weapons contained in hard case and concealed by rags, which included a shortened sawn-off 12-gauge shotgun without a serial number, a smaller .410 gauge sawn-off shotgun, and a shortened .22 rifle.

Murphy told officers he didn’t know about the guns case despite boxes of prescription medication in his name also being located inside.

Questioned further about the crossbow, Murphy said: “It’s not mine, but I'll take the blame”.

NSW Police seized three firearms from a car near the busy South Coast tourist town of Batemans Bay on May 14, including a shortened .22 rifle, a shortened 12-gauge shotgun, and a smaller gauge shortened shotgun. Picture: NSW Police

Murphy also claimed a machete locate behind the driver’s seat was in his possession because his family owned a cane farm.

Solicitor Daniel Thomas told the court on Monday that Murphy was a “hardworking” business owner and family man.

“But, following the death of a family member three years ago, he spiralled into drug addiction,” Mr Thomas said.

“He accrued more than $30,000 in debt, which led to this offending.”

Mr Thomas said Murphy had been using drugs as a form of self-medication for PTSD, and had little prior criminal offending.

“His significant drug addiction led to the circumstances where he was in debt to some people,” he said.

“In gaining access to this amount of drugs, Murphy has accepted full responsibility to possessing the firearms that did not belong to him.”

Prior to the family tragedy, Mr Thomas said Murphy was an elite athlete who competed in the Australian School Boys Rugby League competition.

As a licenced builder, he was due to build a home in Goulburn prior to being placed in custody.

“He worked hard to become a carpenter to provide for his family,” Mr Thomas said.

Ammunition seized by NSW Police suited all three types of firearms seized during a vehicle stop near Batemans Bay on the NSW South Coast. Picture: NSW Police

“He wants to return to be the functioning member of society he once was.”

Mr Thomas did not say who the weapons belonged to.

In sentencing, Magistrate Doug Dick said that while he understood the struggles Murphy had gone through, the firearms offences were the “most serious” charges that come before the local court.

“The legislation puts the public safety above any other considerations that would apply to you,” he said to Murphy.

“The protection of the community is paramount.

“A very clear messages needs to be sent.”

Murphy was sentenced to three years in prison beginning May 13 when he was placed in custody, with an 18-month non-parole period.

He was also sentenced to $3800 in fines and a two-year disqualification period for the driving charges.