A Mount Austin man has been granted bail after police allegedly found multiple prohibited weapons in his possession on Tuesday.
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Allan John Baxter, 49, was charged with possessing two BSA meteor air rifles, a side-handled baton, and an extendable baton after police searched his Phillip Avenue home.
He is yet to enter his pleas.
In Wagga Local Court on Wednesday, defence solicitor Greg Reynolds argued his client did not know the batons were considered prohibited weapons.
“He’s had those since he was 14 – in his younger days he did martial arts, and he instructs me that he had them for that purpose,” Mr Reynolds said.
“He instructs me that, in his previous premises, they were on his wall, and he’s, in his words, been raided many times by police … he simply did not know he needed a licence for those.”
However, magistrate Christopher Halburd questioned how that could have been possible given Mr Baxter’s history of weapons offences.
“He was dealt with in 2016 with a fine for possessing prohibited weapons and in 2017 for possessing or using a prohibited weapon, and again dealt with by way of a fine and a good behaviour bond,” Mr Halburd noted.
“Are you seriously saying that, having been dealt with twice by the court, that he thought an extendable baton and these other two things were things he thought he could have?”
Police prosecutor Rowan Harris opposed Mr Baxter’s application for release on the basis of his criminal history.
“Drugs and guns and prohibited weapons were located in this search, and his entire criminal history seems to be drugs and guns and prohibited weapons,” Sergeant Harris said.
“Our primary concerns are the commissions of serious offences and the danger to the community.”
Despite his “lengthy criminal history”, Mr Halburd decided to grant bail due to Mr Baxter’s serious health concerns.
He will return to court on Monday to enter his pleas.
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