A Port Kembla man caught with a shortened shotgun stashed under his bed has been sentenced to jail.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Wayne William George Bonfield will spend at least the next 12 months behind bars for possessing the illegal weapon, along with 15 shells of ammunition.
Sentencing the 33-year-old yesterday, Magistrate Michael Stoddart noted the seriousness of firearms offences.
"There is a need for general deterrence for these sort of offences," he said.
"People prepared to have shortened firearms in their possession must realise if they are caught, a harsh penalty of imprisonment will be imposed."
Police searched Bonfield's unit earlier this year and located the single-barrel shotgun, containing a single shell casing.
They also discovered 15 other shotgun shells stashed around the apartment.
Bonfield yesterday pleaded guilty to possessing the shortened firearm without authority, and possessing ammunition.
The court was told Bonfield had been given the gun and the ammunition because of his long-standing interest in firearms and pig shooting.
Bonfield had also used firearms in his job as a slaughterman but had not fired the gun recovered from his home.
Magistrate Stoddart sentenced Bonfield to 16 months' jail with a non-parole period of 12 months.
Bonfield was also fined $1000.