A 50-year-old man from Old Runaway will spend the next 18 months behind bars after he was caught in possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition.
Ed Archibald was arrested on April 12, while walking along Thames Street in St John’s. Police officers, acting on suspicion, stopped and searched him, discovering a black Ruger .380 automatic pistol and six matching rounds of ammunition.
He was taken before the Magistrates’ Court on Monday, where he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of the weapon and ammunition. However, sentencing was deferred to the following day.
Archibald, represented by attorney Leon Symister, claimed in court that he was en route to the police station to hand over the weapon and ammunition under the ongoing national gun amnesty programme.
The amnesty which is aimed at reducing gun violence and removing illegal firearms and ammunition from the streets will end on April 30.
Magistrate Ngaio Emanuel was not convinced by his explanation, pointing out that Archibald had passed the St John’s Police Station in Dredge Bay—which is less than a mile from his home—before being found in the city with the gun in his possession.
Calling his story “very difficult to believe,” the magistrate sentenced Archibald to 18 months in prison for the firearm offence and six months for the ammunition. The sentences will run concurrently.
