Glen Echo’s Stephen John Brown allowed gun licence despite criminal history

When this Wide Bay property owner and ex-con had his application for a firearms licence rejected by police, he fought the decision in court. This is why he won.

Glen Echo’s Stephen John Brown appealed the decision of police to reject his application for a firearms licence, with the matter heard before the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

A Wide Bay man has been given permission to have a firearms licence, despite an extensive criminal history which included a significant stint in jail for serious drug offences.

Glen Echo’s Stephen John Brown appealed the decision of police to reject his application for a firearms licence, with the matter heard before the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

The fresh decision was made by tribunal member Dr Alan Collier.

According to court documents, Mr Brown was a 78 year old man who has previously lived in the Northern Territory, where he was last issued with a firearms licence in May, 2019.

Representing himself, Brown told the tribunal he had held a firearm’s licence continuously in the Northern Territory since 1968.

He had applied for a weapon’s licence after moving to Queensland, citing reasons of being a rural property owner, a recreational shooter and a Crown land permit holder.

That application was refused last year on three grounds – that it wasn’t in the public’s interest for him to have a licence, he was not a “fit and proper person” to hold and licence and he had stated a “false or misleading” material particular on his application.

As a result, Brown surrendered his weapons.

The tribunal heard Brown had an extensive criminal history.

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He had been convicted of more than 20 counts of weapons-related offences.

In 1986, he was convicted of two drug offences, for which he was sentenced to 15 years in prison with a minimum term of nine years.

He also had an extensive traffic history and he had been fined $400 in a Queensland court for possessing controlled drugs.

Brown was convicted on 37 matters, including no shooters licence and possessing unlicensed and unregistered firearms.

Dr Collier said he was satisfied QPS had made the decision to reject Mr Brown’s application for a weapon’s licence because of his criminal history and because he had failed to provide “full and truthful details” in his application.

Mr Brown argued his convictions fell outside the relevant period that could be considered.

He also testified that he had never been involved in any criminal activity involving violence with a weapon.

“The overarching consideration when making a decision concerning whether an applicant should be issued a weapons licence is individual, taking account of public safety and the need to prevent the misuse of weapons,” Dr Collier said in his decision.

He said from the evidence presented, Mr Brown was experienced in the handling of weapons and had, for more than 35 years, not misused weapons, nor handled weapons in a manner that has compromised personal or public safety.

“I am also satisfied that, while the Applicant may have been careless in some matters of disclosure in his application and evidence, there was no attempt by him to be misleading or deceptive,” Dr Collier said

“I conclude that the Applicant is a fit and proper person to be issued a weapons licence in Queensland.”

Originally published as Glen Echo’s Stephen John Brown allowed gun licence despite criminal history