A 28-year-old man and his friend were at the Silverdome playing with a remote controlled car when one of them noticed a piece of metal that was actually a firearm on the ground, the Launceston Magistrates Court heard.
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Defence counsel for Troy Anthony Gall, Fran McCracken, told magistrate Simon Brown in a contest mention that Gall and his friend took the .22 pistol to Gall's home on October 6, 2022.
Ms McCracken said that Gall had tried to ring police to tell them about the weapon but was unable to get through to the Launceston station.
"It was also his intention to go into the police station," Ms McCracken heard.
Ms McCracken asked Mr Brown whether the circumstances comprised possession of a firearm when he had it from 6.15pm to 8.45 am the next day.
Mr Brown ruled that the charge was made out because it was in his dominion and on his person.
The court heard from prosecutor Mike Bonde that Northern Drug Investigation raided Gall's Hobart Rd property at 8.20am on October 7 and found him with the gun in his pocket.
He was not pleased to see them and slammed shut the shed door he was standing beside but police were able to pry the door open.
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The semi-automatic pistol was loaded with rounds in the magazine, the serial number had been defaced and the barrel shortened to less than 120mm.
Police also seized 10 grams of methylamphetamine, a quantity of used ice pipes, scales, a knuckleduster with a retractable knife, a spring-loaded flick knife and a laser pointer. Police examined Gall's Apple iPhone and saw a message from Gall's partner in July asking about the charge for an amount of ice. Gall pleaded guilty to a raft of drugs, possession of prohibited imports and firearm charges including possessing and selling a prohibited drug and three counts of breach of bail.
He was refused bail and had been in custody since October 7, the court heard.
He also pleaded guilty to having possession of an extendable baton and a can of CS gas on June 26 when his car was searched by police. He told police the items were to protect himself.
Ms McCracken said that Gall was in a long term relationship with a woman who ran a successful hair salon.
The financial impact of Gall's incarceration had been severe because she had to take time off work to care for their child.
Mr Bonde sought the activation of a three month suspended jail sentence for possession of a stolen 12 gauge shotgun in 2021.
Mr Brown activated the suspended sentence and added a further four months for the latest offences of which two months were suspended for 18 months.
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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.
