A 27-year-old man was fined $1500 and ordered to pay $800 in compensation after damaging a rifle stolen from the Collie-Cardiff RSL.
Nathan Hill pleaded guilty in the Collie Magistrates Court on Wednesday, May 15 to receiving stolen property and destruction of property.
Hill’s lawyer Michelle Huber told the court Hill had been given the .303 Lee-Enfield rifle stolen from the Collie-Cardiff RSL in January and that he had damaged it ‘out of anger’.
Ms Huber said Hill then wrapped the rifle in a sheet and left it at Collie Police Station on January 24.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Barry Phelps told the court police had been conducting a search of Hill’s property when they found a sheet that matched the one the rifle was wrapped in.
He also said the rifle had been damaged ‘beyond repair’.
Magistrate Brian Mahon commended Hill for returning the rifle but said he had made a ‘bad call’ to damage it before doing so.
Mr Mahon said he weighed up the fact the rifle was irreplaceable and held special importance to the Collie-Cardiff RSL when setting the punishment.
He also suggested Hill should write a letter of apology to the club.