Rockhampton business owner Wayne Keleher pleaded guilty to weapons charges

A businessman who posted signs on his gate threatening to shoot ‘trespassers, dogs’ without warning has had $20,000 in guns and ammunition seized.

Wayne Keleher lives on South Yaamba Road were he has signs saying trespassers will be shot. Photo Allan Reinikka / The Morning Bulletin

A businessman who posted signs on his gate threatening to shoot ‘trespassers, dogs’ without warning has had $20,000 in firearms, ammunition and accessories seized after a police raid.

Wayne Anthony Keleher, 57, has entered pleas of guilty to four weapons offences and one of contravening police direction to hand over his licence and permits to the officer in charge of the nearest police station by a certain date in Rockhampton Magistrates Court.

Police located five category A and B weapons, along with ammunition and one category R weapon at Keleher’s South Yaamba property on March 12, 2024.

They also found parts of a category D weapon - a silencer.

Signs on a fence on a property on South Yaamba Road in Central Queensland. Photo contributed

Defence lawyer Nick Crawford said his client had held a weapon’s licence for most of the items seized by police.

He said that licence had expired two days before the police search.

Mr Crawford said Keleher had sent his licence renewal paperwork by registered post, but there was an issue with it, and when people had tried to contact him about that issue he had not answered those calls as they came from a private number.

Keleher, who attended St Brendan’s College until Year 10 and then entered the workforce in various welding jobs and completing his Honors in Engineering, going on to start his own business at 22.

Wayne Keleher stands with his Mazak Integrex 400-IV at his Penti-M Engineering workshop. Photo Amy Haydock / Morning Bulletin

Mr Crawford said the business employs one of Keleher’s two sons and an apprentice.

Mr Crawford said the parts of the silencer had been created by Keleher who was a fabricator by trade as “an experiment”.

He said Keleher accepts he wasn’t supposed to have those items.

Mr Crawford said Keleher’s business had a “very tough” time lately.

Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale said things have been tough for most people lately.

Keleher was fined $1200 and no convictions were recorded.

Ms Beckinsale made a forfeiture order for all of the items seized items and Keleher, according to Mr Crawford, has to apply to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) to get back.

Originally published as Rockhampton business owner Wayne Keleher pleaded guilty to weapons charges