North Albury man tells magistrate didn't know he had gun in TV cabinet

Caine Allan Nichols had just been served with a NSW Police firearms prohibition order, which he refused to take.

Minutes later police searched a television cabinet near the front door in his Matra Avenue home and found the weapon.

IN OTHER NEWS:

The imitation firearm's components included a forend, a rifle trigger and a home-made barrel.

Police have told Albury Local Court that the barrel appeared to have improvised from a car jack.

It was deemed to be an imitation firearm under the NSW Firearms Act 1996.

Nichols, 35, pleaded guilty to a single charge of possess an unauthorised firearm.

THE LIFE AND CRIMES OF CAINE ALLAN NICHOLS:

It was the second time he has been dealt with for a firearms-related offence, and he has also previously been convicted over the possession of ammunition.

Nichols has fronted court many times over the past few years, including for larceny and drug-related matters.

He feigned ignorance when magistrate Richard Funston asked him this week why he had the firearm.

"I didn't know it was there," replied a nonchalant Nichols, who had lived at the address for four years.

"It was right up in the back of the cabinet."

MORE COURT STORIES

Mr Funston asked Nichols whether there was anything else he wanted to add.

"Nothing to say," he replied.

Mr Funston said it was "hard for me to accept" that Nichols "didn't know it was there".

"For these sorts of charges you can get a lengthy jail sentence," he said.

Police took the prohibition order to Nichols' home on January 22 about 5.30pm, just hours after the order was issued.

Nichols became "somewhat dismissive" when the order was read out to him, then walked back into the house while abusing the officers with "profane language".

He was convicted and fined $800.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: