A man has been refused bail in Goulburn Local Court for multiple offences including having a home-made taser and replica .44 Magnum pistol that was buried in a backyard.
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Paul Selmes, 52, of Goulburn appeared in the dock and pleaded guilty to 11 charges including:
- possess prohibited weapon (home-made taser),
- possess unauthorised pistol,
- possess unregistered pistol,
- possess unregistered firearm (air rifle),
- possess unauthorised firearm (rifle),
- possess firearm whilst unlicensed (air rifle),
- possess ammunition (bullets),
- goods in personal custody (jewellery),
- goods in custody on premises (medication), and
- two counts of not keep firearm safe (replica .44 Magnum pistol and air rifle).
He had been arrested and charged with the offences following a police search at a house in Goulburn on Monday afternoon.
The search was triggered after police attended the home earlier on Sunday following reports a man had been stabbed in the neck.
A 33-year-old woman was arrested at the scene and charged with wound person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The woman, Chantele Holden, was refused bail in Goulburn Local Court on Monday, June 24.
Related story: Police charge woman over stabbing
During the search police located a replica .44 magnum pistol buried in a cloth in the backyard of the house. They also located a rifle in a car and a home-made taser at the premises.
In court, Selmes appeared in the dock in a red tracksuit top and black tracksuit pants. He was bald and looked gaunt.
His solicitor, Rod Boyd applied for bail on his behalf.
But police prosecutor Fiona Ryan interjected, opposing bail, saying Selmes posed a flight risk and that the items found by police posed "a serious risk to the safety of the community."
"Given the nature of these offences and the firearms in question, it places the community at risk if he is granted bail," Ms Ryan said.
"No bail conditions could mitigate such risks."
Countering this, solicitor Rod Boyd said while Selmes "certainly had a lengthy criminal record for drug offences" he had not been jailed for firearms-related offences before.
"I grant he does not have a good record, but he has turned up to court on every occasion in a 20-page criminal history," Mr Boyd said.
"The likelihood of full-time custody may not necessarily result from these charges because I submit they at the bottom end of the range - having an air rifle and a replica pistol."
Magistrate Geraldine Beattie asked about the taser.
Mr Boyd replied that regarding this item it would also be open to the court for a sentence of a Community Corrections Order.
"He ought to be granted bail," Mr Boyd said.
He said the bail conditions could include daily reporting to police.
"He needs to prepare for a custodial sentence if that is going to happen because he has a dog, a cat and a bearded dragon to look after at his home," Mr Boyd said.
"Even though these items were found, he had no intention of using them. He said the home-made taser was for his self-defence.
"He was frank with the police and made full admissions to owning the items."
But Magistrate Beattie said she had concerns for the safety of the community if she granted bail to Selmes.
"I have concerns about the community's safety, given the types of items found," she said.
She refused Selmes bail and he was accompanied back down the stairs into the cells below by Corrective Services Officers.
Ms Beattie adjourned the matter to late August in the Goulburn Local Court.
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David Cole
Journalist at the Goulburn Post
Journalist at the Goulburn Post
