STEPHEN RYANtheherald.com.au
GUILTY: Ian David Challenor, who was fined for transporting two guns and ammunition.
A QUEENSLAND man caught moving guns between Windale and Belmont was fined $5000 yesterday after he refused to disclose to police who he was moving the guns for. Ian David Challenor, who wore a Rock Machine Motorcycle Club jumper in Newcastle Local Court, was stopped on the Pacific Highway near Belmont, before 2pm on Tuesday.
Police watched as the vehicle Challenor was travelling in drove around Windale at low speeds and stopped ‘‘erratically’’, police facts stated.
Challenor, 30, of Townsville, was seen leaving a Windale home then putting a green bag in the boot of his car.
He was later stopped and police found a Sportco .22 calibre rifle, a Remington .22 calibre rifle and 350 rifle cartridges.
He pleaded guilty to possessing the unregistered firearms and ammunition.
Magistrate Mark Buscombe fined Challenor $5000 and placed him on a good-behaviour bond for two years.
Challenor’s barrister, Mark Brady, said his client and girlfriend had decided to go to Sydney when they visited friends at Windale, who had asked Challenor to take the guns to premises at Belmont.
Challenor refused to tell police who he moved the guns for, but he was otherwise remorseful and co-operative, Mr Brady said.
‘‘He didn’t think terribly much about what he was doing at the time,’’ Mr Brady said.
Challenor owns and runs a mechanical repair business in Townsville.
He had some minor assault and drug convictions on his record in Western Australia, but nothing in NSW, Mr Brady said.
Challenor had some ‘‘issues’’ during his time in Western Australia, but he has ‘‘turned his life around’’ since moving to Queensland, Mr Brady said.
The Rock Machine opened their first chapter in Australia in 2008 after forming in Canada in the mid-1980s, their website states.
Police watched as the vehicle Challenor was travelling in drove around Windale at low speeds and stopped ‘‘erratically’’, police facts stated.
Challenor, 30, of Townsville, was seen leaving a Windale home then putting a green bag in the boot of his car.
He was later stopped and police found a Sportco .22 calibre rifle, a Remington .22 calibre rifle and 350 rifle cartridges.
He pleaded guilty to possessing the unregistered firearms and ammunition.
Magistrate Mark Buscombe fined Challenor $5000 and placed him on a good-behaviour bond for two years.
Challenor’s barrister, Mark Brady, said his client and girlfriend had decided to go to Sydney when they visited friends at Windale, who had asked Challenor to take the guns to premises at Belmont.
Challenor refused to tell police who he moved the guns for, but he was otherwise remorseful and co-operative, Mr Brady said.
‘‘He didn’t think terribly much about what he was doing at the time,’’ Mr Brady said.
Challenor owns and runs a mechanical repair business in Townsville.
He had some minor assault and drug convictions on his record in Western Australia, but nothing in NSW, Mr Brady said.
Challenor had some ‘‘issues’’ during his time in Western Australia, but he has ‘‘turned his life around’’ since moving to Queensland, Mr Brady said.
The Rock Machine opened their first chapter in Australia in 2008 after forming in Canada in the mid-1980s, their website states.