A Wollongong airport employee has faced scathing criticism from a magistrate after police discovered a cache of prohibited weapons in his home, including German pepper spray he took from a plane.
Court hears details of assault and discovery
The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in Wollongong Local Court on January 15, where he pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing a prohibited weapon without a permit and one count of common assault in a domestic violence context.
The court heard the assault occurred around 7pm on October 20 in Corrimal. During an argument with his girlfriend while driving, the man allegedly slammed on the brakes, stopped the car in the middle of the road, and then walked to the passenger side. He took hold of the woman's arm and removed her from the vehicle as their yelling match continued, attracting the attention of a passer-by.
Following a conversation with the witness, the man drove away alone. The victim arranged an Uber to take her home.
Police search reveals illegal haul
Police attended the man's Balgownie home on October 21 to investigate the assault. While executing a search warrant, officers made a concerning discovery: a can of prohibited anti-personnel spray and a flick knife.
The man told police he had found the pepper spray on an aeroplane during his work at the airport and decided to take it home. He claimed to have purchased the flick knife online, stating he was unaware it was an illegal item in New South Wales.
Regarding the altercation with his partner, he told officers he was merely "helping" her out of the car by holding her arm.
Magistrate delivers stern warning with sentence
During sentencing submissions, the man's solicitor, Matthew Ward, argued the offending was at the lower end of severity. He highlighted his client's clean criminal record and presented a letter to the court expressing the man's remorse and growing insight into his actions.
"He's not making any excuse, it's all his actions and fault," Mr Ward told the court.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Scott Wiblin pressed for a conviction to be recorded. However, Magistrate Geraldine Beattie ultimately sentenced the man to an 18-month conditional release order without recording a conviction.
Her decision did not come without a forceful rebuke. Magistrate Beattie suggested the man make "sorting out junk drawers" a priority for the year, questioning why he ever thought bringing the pepper spray home was a good idea.
"It was a stupid thing to do," Magistrate Beattie stated. "And then in further stupidity, you bought a flick knife online. The danger to the community is significant."
She concluded that the combination of items painted a "really scary" picture that contrasted sharply with the man's presentation in court.
The outcome serves as a stark reminder of the serious legal consequences surrounding the possession of prohibited weapons and acts of domestic violence in the Illawarra region.
