A MAN who pointed a rifle at a teenager and ordered the young man off his property has received a suspended jail sentence.
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Robert John McKinnon, 64, of Frys Lane, White Rock, appeared before Magistrate Clisdell charged with being armed with intent to commit an indictable offence, possessing an unregistered firearm, not keeping a firearm safely and possessing ammunition without a permit.
Police facts tendered to the court told how the victim had a heated argument on the phone with his mother, who was at the accused’s home.
The court heard the victim went to McKinnon’s address to question him about the relationship the accused has with his mother.
Seeing the victim drive up the driveway, McKinnon obtained a .22 rifle, which the victim alleged was pointed at his chest as McKinnon demanded he leave the property.
Fearing for his life, the victim got back into the car, but McKinnon attempted to reach into the vehicle and grab the keys, according to the police facts.
He again pointed the rifle at the driver’s door of the vehicle and demanded the victim leave.
Police attended and told McKinnon to walk out of the residence with his hands raised. He was arrested.
When questioned by police, the accused denied owning a firearm, but police located a .22 calibre rifle within a clay pipe and 10 boxes of .22 calibre ammunition in a shed on the property.
McKinnon made full admissions to obtaining the firearm when he saw the victim drive up the driveway, but denied pointing the firearm at the victim. He also said he denied owning any firearms as he was concerned about the firearm being unregistered.
On the charge of being armed with intent to commit an indictable offence, McKinnon was fined $2000 and placed on a section 12 suspended sentence for nine months. For possessing an unregistered firearm, he was convicted and placed on a Section 9 bond for 12 months. He was also convicted and fined $500 for not keeping a firearm safely and possessing ammunition without a licence.