Man took gel blaster in pants to Gold Coast University Hospital in case he was ‘jumped’

A 23-year-old man has faced court after he was seen holding a ‘black-coloured handgun’ outside a Gold Coast hospital. WHAT HAPPENED

A Southport man was carrying a gel blaster outside a hospital to “scare people off” in case anyone tried to “jump him”, a court was told.

Karel Jason Higgins-Nelson pleaded guilty in the Southport Magistrates Court on Monday to carrying an exposed weapon in public and possessing property in connection of a drug offence.

On July 10, Gold Coast University Hospital security alerted police of a man who had picked up a “black-coloured handgun” and tucked it into his pants, the court was told.

Police saw the weapon sitting on a set of draws when they visited the 23-year-old’s address the following day.

Higgins-Nelson told police it was a replica handgun and he had taken it to hospital for protection.

He stated to police: “I will scare people off with a handgun if anyone tries to jump me,” the court was told.

Police seized the weapon and confirmed it was a gel blaster.

A duty lawyer said Higgins-Nelson was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome and suffered anxiety and PTSD.

The court was told he had been homeless after he left school in Year 10 and did not have family support.

“He knows that what he did was stupid,” the duty lawyer said.

Magistrate Ron Kilner noted the 23-year-old had no criminal history.

“Even though it’s a replica handgun, it can certainly frighten people and it can cause distress and alarm,” he said.

Higgins-Nelson was fined $200 and placed on a $700 good behaviour bond for 12 months.

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Originally published as Man took gel blaster in pants to Gold Coast University Hospital in case he was ‘jumped’