Firearms dealer convicted on charges

Press, 23 October 1980, Page 5

Firearms dealer convicted on charges

■ In a reserved decision (given in the District Court , yesterday Judge Bisphan (found a number of offences proved against a Christ- ■: church firearms dealer arisjing from his importation of ; firearms and other items he ■bought on visits to Australia ■ last year. i Evidence in the case had (been that the defendant. David .Matthew Holden • Tipple, aged 25. had evaded ■ about $720 in sales tax and [Customs duties. I He was convicted of six (Charges under the Customs • Act. Two offences under the (Arms Act were held to bei [proved but the Judge indie-! ;ated that, subject to hearing; isubmissions, on penalty be-i ■ fore sentencing tomorrow,! i he would discharge the! (defendant on these charges! without conviction, underl Section 42 of the Criminal) Justice Act. A third Arms Act charge! was dismissed. Two other Customs Act charges were dismissed and six charges, laid in the alternative. were withdrawn after the defendant’s conviction on allied charges. Mr R. L. Kerr appeared for the defendant. | Prosecution and defence (evidence had been heard in'

a June and early this month, t and the case had been adYjourned to yesterday fori si written legal submissions by; -'both counsel, and for deci-' -ision. f The Arms Act charges ? which the Judge held i.proved, but indicated a pos-j ■ sible discharge without con-! eviction, were of bringing’ J into New Zealand a pistol,) jiand two revolvers, without i (police permits. ; 1 The Judge said he inter-. .preled the Act as providing, .(for an offence to be coin-' emitted as soon as a weapon; ’ was landed in New Zealand '■without a permit. However. ;!he noted evidence that the was aware of ar-! 'jrangements whereby persons' (brought in firearms’and then, ;;submitted them to the police) .[for the issue of a permit. J The defendant was con- ■ yicted of importations with! lintent to defraud Customs of) [revenue by not de-i 'lclaring a shotgun three rifles) ((guilty plea), a camera and; attachment (guilty plea), 20 boxes of ammunition shells,) ■ two watches, and a tele-1 ■ vision-radio cassette. i Two charges, of defraud ! ing revenue, and making an) erroneous declaration in re-' gard to a quantity of metal) - badges, and woven motifs,; nwere dismissed.