Rockingham: Man fined, granted spent conviction after weapons found in car

A RANDOM breath test (RBT) in Calista uncovered a not-so-hidden cache of weapons in a car.

Shaun Charles Ballard pleaded guilty to one charge of carrying a controlled weapon when he appeared at Rockingham Magistrates Court last Friday.

The prosecutor said police saw the weapons clearly in Ballard’s car during the RBT.

On the rear ledge behind the rear seat of the car was a 90cm samurai sword, while on the back seat was a longbow with 10 arrows.

Three 3.5cm black blade jewelled knives were also found in the car.

Ballard told police he had been camping and forgot to take the items out of the car.

He said the three blades were “just throwing knives to muck around with” and had lost them sometime ago but had recently found them again.

The 23-year-old had no prior record and requested a spent conviction for employment reasons.

Magistrate Susan Richardson ordered the weapons be forfeited.

“There is a good reason people aren’t allowed to drive around with these items,” she said.

She fined him $500 and granted him the spent conviction.