Chase Hatfield, 33, of Nagambie, pleaded guilty in Shepparton County Court to possessing a traffickable quality of firearms, possessing an imitation firearm while a prohibited person, shortening the barrel of a longarm firearm, storing a firearm insecurely while unlicensed, possessing cannabis and possessing the drug 1,4-butanediol.
Hatfield also pleaded guilty to summary charges of possessing a controlled weapon, possessing cartridge ammunition without a firearm licence, possessing a schedule four poison, possessing a schedule four horse poison and possessing a firearm in private property without consent of the property owner.
The court heard police found guns, ammunition and drugs at the Seymour house where Hatfield was living at the time, when they searched it on February 9.
A semi-automatic 12-gauge shotgun was found on the floor of a wardrobe in his bedroom.
The serial number had been partially ground off the gun.
Police also found an air rifle standing against the wall in the room that was loaded with a slug gun pellet.
A second air-rifle, with a sawn-off barrel, was also found.
A knife and a gun scope were found on the floor, while numerous 12-gauge shotgun ammunition rounds were found under a couch.
Inside the safe, police found an imitation gun — a Glock 18 gel blaster pistol — and a sawn-off barrel of an air rifle.
Two zip-lock bags and three cryo-vacuum bags of cannabis, two 500mm bottles with GHB, a vial of testosterone and a syringe containing what police believe was a horse tranquilliser were also found in two safes in his room.
A .22 cartridge ammunition round was located on the seal of a firearms bag in a second bedroom.
Prosecutor Philip Teo told the court when he was interviewed by police, Hatfield denied knowledge of the firearms or drugs, but admitted to owning the gel blaster imitation firearm.
The court was also told that, at the time of the police search, Hatfield was a prohibited person under the Firearms Act as it was less than five years since he had completed a prison sentence.
Hatfield’s defence counsel told the court her client had an “unenviable upbringing”.
She also said he needed supervision when released from prison, and asked for a combination sentence that would include jail and a community corrections order.
Judge Geoffrey Chettle questioned why Hatfield had guns.
“I don’t accept the explanation that he’s got them for self-defence,” he said.
“And why shorten an air rifle? You only shorten it if you want to conceal it.”
In sentencing Hatfield, Judge Chettle accepted he had a “deprived and difficult childhood”.
However, he rejected the defence’s suggestion for a combination sentence, saying Hatfield’s offences were too serious, given his prior history.
“(Hatfield’s) prospects of rehabilitation are properly described as grim,” Judge Chettle said.
However, he said he would impose a parole period that would allow Hatfield to be supported if paroled from prison.
Hatfield was jailed for two years and six months, and will have to serve one year and six months before becoming eligible for parole.
The 272 days he has spent in pre-sentence detention will count as time already served.
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