A Gordon man who kept a loaded shotgun, crossbow, and drugs unsecured in the home he shared with his two-year-old son has been jailed.
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Emeka Okwechime's defence team had urged leniency, arguing their client – who has a history of weapons possession - had taken longer to grow up.
But Justice John Burns, in jailing Okwechime for three years on Thursday, said youth could no longer excuse the 28-year-old's crimes.
Okwechime pleaded guilty in the ACT Supreme Court to 10 charges after police raids at his home in April and November last year uncovered weapons, ammunition, and cannabis.
He was on a good behaviour order for previous weapons convictions when officers found a cache of weapons - including the loaded shotgun, a stun gun, two extendable batons, a knuckle duster and an air rifle – during the April search.
Court documents said the shotgun had been in the lounge room, but the stun gun, batons, and knuckle duster had been kept in a bedside table in the main bedroom where the child slept.
Okwechime was charged with six weapons offences as a result, and granted bail.
But police returned in November to discover two crossbows, ammunition, and cannabis hidden in the lounge room and garage.
Okwechime told police the shotgun, stun gun, and knuckle dusters had been kept as protection against members of an outlaw motorcycle gang. But no evidence was put before the court to support the claim.
"Sometimes people take longer than others to grow up," Mr Doig said.
Justice John Burns, in handing down sentence on Thursday, said Okwechime could no longer blame youth for his continued criminal conduct.
Justice Burns said the offender had a long criminal history, which included weapons offences, and had been given many chances to start his rehabilitation. But the judge said there had been few signs of a commitment to change.
Justice Burns said rehabilitation, therefore, played a secondary role in sentencing, with punishment and deterrence the most important factor.
The judge sentenced Okwechime to three years jail, with a non-parole period of 22 months.
He will be eligible for release in September next year.
