A magistrate has described a man who was storing several guns in an acquaintance’s shed as “a poster boy of what happens when you get into methamphetamines at a later age”.
Dean Kempinski, 46, of Coomboona, pleaded guilty in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court to possessing two or more firearms while an unauthorised person, possessing a category A longarm, two counts of possessing a prohibited weapon, possessing cartridge ammunition without a licence, and possessing an explosives substance.
He also pleaded guilty to charges including retention of stolen goods, two counts of possessing cannabis, possessing drugs, possessing methamphetamines, and possessing testosterone.
Prosecutor Ibrahim Abdalla told the court police went to a Mooroopna house on January 10 as part of an investigation into Kempinski’s whereabouts.
It was not Kempinski’s house, but one of his acquaintances had dropped off two toolboxes for Kempinski six months earlier, which were being stored in the shed.
Mr Abdalla said the person who lived at the house had tried contacting Kempinski to collect the items but the messages had been ignored.
Inside the trunks, police found two rifles, two air rifles, a scope for one of the rifles, a stolen tactical light, three silencers, .22 ammunition, a .22 rifle magazine, and explosives.
Police also found 5.72 grams of cannabis, eight pink tablets and personal items relating to Kempinski.
When police found Kempinski in a car at another location, he had a pocketknife in his pocket, 3.1g of cannabis, 0.49g of methamphetamines, a vial of testosterone and keys that fitted the toolboxes.
He did not have a firearms licence and none of the guns were registered to him.
Kempinski’s solicitor Anthony Coote told the court his client had started using drugs at the age of 41 after his business collapsed, he separated from his partner and was homeless.
Mr Coote said Kempinski was “asked to look after the goods by a friend”.
He also said this was his first interaction with police.
“He has really got into it at the deep end,” Mr Coote said.
On hearing this, magistrate Marita Altman said Kempinski was “the poster boy of what happens when you get into methamphetamines at a later age”.
Mr Coote said Kempinski had been clean of drugs for 10 months, and now had a home and a job.
“He really has turned his life around,” Mr Coote said.
“He has gone from rock bottom to moving up the ladder again.
“He is contributing back to society.”
Mr Coote said Kempinski spent 28 days in custody before being released on bail.
The solicitor said Kempinski had excelled at the Court Integrated Services Program which he had to do on bail.
“He’s done everything they wanted of him, if not more,” he said.
“The period of prison was a salutary experience. To go from where he was, at his age, to prison – he was lost.”
Kempinski was sentenced to 28 days in prison – considered as time already served – and a 12-month community corrections order.
The corrections order includes treatment and rehabilitation for drug use and mental health, as well as programs to reduce re-offending.