Gun found in a guitar case following domestic disturbance

AFTER responding to calls to a domestic disturbance, police made an unexpected discovery

Grafton Court House. Picture: Caitlan Charles

A SOUTH Grafton man who locked himself in a room with a pistol and box of ammunition following an argument with his ex-partner has escaped a jail sentence for firearms charges.

Kerrod Earl Lee, 29, appeared in Grafton Local Court on Monday where he was sentenced after pleading guilty to possessing an unregistered firearm, possessing ammunition without holding a licence, possessing an unauthorised firearm and not keeping a firearm safely.

According to police facts tendered to court, police were called to a South Grafton property around 10.30pm on November 1 last year to reports of a domestic incident.

When police arrived they spoke to the victim, who said that Lee was in a spare bedroom of the house, and had locked himself in, refusing to come out. According to police, the victim was attempting to get Lee to leave the premises following an argument.

Police spoke to Lee through the door of the bedroom and were able to talk him out of the room. After questioning in relation to a firearm in the house, Lee told police there was a gun in the bedroom inside a guitar case.

Police conducted a search of the room and found an Anschtuz .22 calibre rim fire semi-automatic pistol underneath a bed in a soft guitar case. The search also revealed a magazine for the firearm with eight rounds and a box of ammunition.

In Grafton Local Court on Monday Lee was convicted on all four charges, and received a two-year Community Corrections Order.

Magistrate Karen Stafford also sentenced Lee to 200 hours community service, and fined him $800. The firearm was seized by police.

Originally published as Gun found in a guitar case following domestic disturbance