A Supreme Court jury will recommence its deliberations on Wednesday in the trial of a man accused of aggravated burglary, burglary, stealing and stealing firearms from a farm at Nabowla last year.
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Tyler Aaron Forbes, 30, has pleaded not guilty to the charges alleged to have occurred on April 6, 2021.
The crown alleges Mr Forbes gained knowledge of Craig Groves' firearm collection shortly before he burgled and stole nine firearms from a gun safe in a shed and a second safe in a home.
Mr Groves estimated his firearm collection was worth $20,000.
In his closing address crown prosecutor Matt Hills said that it was a circumstantial case.
Mr Forbes DNA was found on a shovel which was allegedly used to break into the shed and also on a hammer found at the scene.
The shovel also had paint flakes on the blade which matched the paint on the shed door.
After getting the DNA results police searched a property where Mr Forbes was living and found an Adler shotgun, a camouflage jacket, shotgun cartridges and a Bushnell scope.
Under cross examination by defence counsel Beri Kurdistan Detective-constable Jason Bolton said that he knew of a second man, Terry Carter, who had been charged in relation to a Beretta stolen from Mr Groves' property.
Mr Forbes gave evidence that a friend Jake Mullins had passed on his name to someone who had a firearms for sale. The jury heard that Mr Mullins had since died.
Mr Forbes said that "John" contacted him and they met on Pipers River Rd.
He said he had paid $1000 for an Adler shotgun. Mr Forbes said he had not told police of the transaction at his video interview in August last year because he didn't want to get someone else in trouble.
"I suggest you invented this story to exculpate yourself?"Mr Hills asked.
"I'm a mechanic not an inventor," Mr Forbes said.
Earlier Graham Garwood gave evidence that Mr Forbes worked in his garage as a mechanic at the time when he traded with Mr Groves a Ford Courier for a Nissan Navara.
Under cross examination by Ms Kurdistan in relation to pest control Mr Garwood said that he lived on a 40ha property.
"Do you have livestock?," Ms Kurdistan asked.
"Yes a pony, five cattle, three dogs and two cats," Mr Garwood said.
"Do you have any sheep?," she asked.
"No thankyou," Mr Garwood replied prompting laughter form the jury.
"The best place for a sheep is on a plate," he said.
Prosecution, Defence counsel and Justice Robert Pearce summed up the case before the jury considered their verdict for 45 minutes.
They will resume at 9.15 on Wednesday.
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Nick Clark
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
