A former shooting club safety officer has been ordered to hand over his guns after he was caught storing two rifles in a canvas bag in the spare room.
Gary Marshall, 39, normally kept the firearms locked away in a gun cabinet but on this occasion forgot he’d left them lying on the bed at his partner’s home, Inverness Sheriff Court was told.
The court heard that the experienced rifle owner, who had previously acted as the safety officer for a local shooting club, was “embarrassed” and “upset” by his actions.
Marshall, of Beauly, admitted a single charge under the firearms act.
Fiscal depute Naomi Duffy-Welsh told the court that on July 17 of this year police officers attended the home of Marshall’s partner in relation to a separate matter.
Rifles and ammunition unsecured
While there they decided to carry out a check in relation to the firearms, which were found within a canvas bag on the bed in a spare room.
“The accused admitted the rifles were his and fully licenced but were not kept within a locked gun cabinet as per the conditions of his licence,” Ms Duffy-Welsh said.
Marshall was arrested and taken to Burnett Road Police Station but officers later returned and searched his vehicle, where they recovered a quantity of unsecured ammunition.
Solicitor Neil Wilson, for Marshall, told the court that his client was an experienced gun owner who had held a firearms certificate for around 10 years.
He said: “He had been a regular user of firearms. He was previously safety officer for the local wildfowl club. He was well aware of the regulations.”
He explained that the night before the offence Marshall had been lamping for foxes with a landowner’s permission and had planned to return to his home in the early hours and lock away his guns.
However, because his Commercial Street home was near to licensed premises and he would be taking the guns inside as pub customers were spilling out into the street he had a change of heart.
“He was very worried about walking from his vehicle to his home carrying items that would have been evident to be rifles,” Mr Wilson said.
As a result, Marshall decided to take the guns to his partner’s home.
“He thought it best to take the rifles inside and put them on the spare bed and keep the ammunition locked in his car separately,” Mr Wilson said.
But the following morning Marshall left for shinty, forgetting about his guns.
Mr Wilson added: “He is thoroughly embarrassed and upset by his actions. He is suitably contrite.”
Sheriff Gary Aitken fined Marshall £420 and ordered the forfeiture of the two guns and the quantity of ammunition.
