A Wollongong man accused of possessing an unregistered revolver despite never having held a firearms licence says the handgun belongs to someone else, a court has heard.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Kerim Atila Yavuz, 31, was arrested in the car park of KFC Unanderra on Wednesday evening after police searched him, another man and the Toyota Hiace van in which they were sitting, and allegedly found an open box of Parabellum-branded 9mm ammunition, containing 25 rounds.
Police documents said a further search of the van allegedly revealed a Belgian-made .22 calibre revolver inside a McDonald's bag, lying among food wrappers, behind the driver's seat
The handgun was unloaded but the serial number had been removed.
Both Yavuz and the other occupant of the vehicle denied any knowledge of the revolver, and were taken to Lake Illawarra police station.
Neither of them had ever held a firearms licence, nor had any pending applications.
They agreed to interviews and Yavuz told police that he knew about the weapon, having handled it days earlier, he had wiped his prints and DNA from it, and was aware of how it worked.
But he could not tell police how it came to be inside the Hiace van.
The other man told police he had allegedly seen Yavuz in possession of the revolver the day before and he told him to "get rid of it".
That man was released without charge, pending further investigation.
But Yavuz was charged with possessing an unauthorised pistol, possessing an unregistered pistol and possessing ammunition without a licence.
He appeared at Wollongong Local Court on Thursday, where lawyer Graeme Morrison applied for his release on bail.
Mr Morrison said Yavuz weighed over 220 kilograms and was due to undergo an operation to reduce his weight in three weeks.
Yavuz's health was severely compromised, Mr Morrison said, and he was highly vulnerable in custody, noting he could not attend to his own hygiene needs.
He said that both the vehicle and the revolver belonged to someone else.
But prosecutor Sergeant Tanya Pavlin told the court that Yavuz was on strict bail for alleged drug offences and he had a record of failing to comply with court orders.
Sergeant Pavlin said the prosecution had a strong case and the new offences were "very serious" in nature.
Magistrate Greg Elks accepted that Yavuz's weight would make any time in custody more difficult.
But Magistrate Elks said that while the firearm could belong to someone else, by his own admission Yavuz had handled it.
He refused bail and remanded Yavuz in custody to appear at Port Kembla Local Court next month.
The Illawarra Mercury newsroom is funded by our readers. You can subscribe to support our journalism here.
Sign up for breaking news emails below...
Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
