A 49-year-old Ararat man who was found with guns and drugs has been warned he is getting too old to start getting involved in crime.
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Brendon Hustler, who pleaded guilty to a string of firearm and drug offences on Tuesday at the Ballarat Magistrates Court, was told drugs and unregistered guns did not do anyone any good.
"They're very easy for people to get their hands on and do terrifying things with," magistrate Mary Robertson said at the conclusion of the plea hearing.
The court heard Hustler was intercepted in Moore Street where police found a number of items on Hustler and in his car, including an inoperable rusty 1850s-era pistol, an envelope with .22 caliber cartridges, a flick knife, cannabis, ice, and syringes.
He told police he found the pistol in a dam and was hoping to make money from it.
Hustler also said he did not realise the knife was illegal to carry around and added the event was a "wake up call".
Just over a month later police searched the accused's house and found 23g of cannabis, two unregistered double-barrel shotguns and 0.1g of ice.
Hustler, who was on bail over the previous matter, told police the guns, which were broken down and tied firmly together, were family heirlooms and had sentimental value.
Hustler's lawyer, David Taminika, said while his client – who had no criminal history – was in the possession of guns, he did not use any of them and there was no suggestion he was arming himself for offensive or defensive reasons.
As for the ammunition, Mr Taminika said his client had simply left it in his jacket and forgot it was there. He added he did not own a gun they could be used in.
He said the impact of the death of his sister a few years earlier resulted in his client dabbling in ice use, but since the police raid he had stopped using the drug.
Hustler was convicted and placed on a 12-month community corrections order.