Social media video lands GT man gun charge

(CNS): A 38-year-old man is facing the prospect of a decade behind bars because he posted a video of himself on social media holding a shotgun that did not belong to him. The man was charged on 16 November with possession of an unlicensed firearm, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years if found guilty. Police said the man had posted a video where he was holding the gun but he is not a licensed firearms holder.

The shotgun belongs to a man the suspect knows who does have a licence for the weapon, police said, but did not indicate whether the owner had allowed the man to handle the gun and make the video or if the firearm had been used in the video without the owner’s consent.

The man, who has not yet been identified and was not entered into the public listings, appeared in court yesterday, 22 November, and was bailed until 13 December for his next court appearance.