Uber driver avoids conviction for brandishing Glock replica water pistol near parliament
An Uber driver has learnt his fate for brandishing a water pistol that resembled a Glock firearm near the NSW parliament.
An Uber driver has avoided conviction for brandishing a water pistol resembling a Glock firearm near the NSW parliament.
Waqar Hassan Virk, 28, parked his bronze Toyota Camry on Hospital Rd in Sydney on the afternoon of November 14 in full view of the parliament’s surveillance cameras.
According to the court documents, he remained seated in the driver’s side of the car and held his right hand out of the window.
Virk was seen clutching what appeared to be a dark-coloured pistol with a light grip that police say was “strikingly similar to a Glock” firearm.
He then waved the object around before pointing it at the ground and pulling the trigger several times, causing what appeared to be projectiles to discharge from the barrel.
The court documents reveal the Uber driver then placed the water pistol in a paper bag and put it in the boot of his car before driving away.
He was stopped by the authorities at Sydney domestic airport hours later and arrested.
During an emotional interview with police, Virk admitted to possessing the pistol but said he thought it was allowed because it functioned as a water gun.
The court was previously told he had planned to give it to his nephew in Pakistan.
The Uber driver appeared in Sydney Downing Centre Local Court last week after pleading guilty to possessing an unauthorised firearm.
Magistrate Margaret Quinn found him guilty of the offence without proceeding to conviction.
She handed Virk a 15-month conditional release order and directed him to behave himself.
The Pakistani national was previously told he was lucky he wasn’t shot or tasered after taking the replica firearm to a “high-profile place and waving it around”.
The court documents reveal the whole incident was seen by a special constable performing duties at the NSW Parliament House on November 14.
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