A Keilor man has been sentenced in the County Court to three years jail for a series of drug trafficking and firearms offences.
Brian Grixti pleaded guilty last month to trafficking a drug of dependence and six firearms offences, including possessing three unregistered firearms and silencers and manufacturing firearms without a licence.
On September 2, 2017, police investigated reports from residents of a Falconer Court property in Keilor concerning a broken laundry window and a discharged ammunition round found in their laundry.
They claimed they had heard a number of loud noises, much like the sound of fireworks, coming from the rear garden shed of 8 Delaney Court, Keilor. Further examination revealed a small mark in the timber window frame of the laundry, approximately five centimetres long, consistent with being made by the bullet located inside.
Ballistics experts established that a bullet fired from the Delaney Court property had penetrated the wall of the aluminium shed on that property and travelled into the adjoining property, causing the damage to the Falconer Court laundry window.
On September 5, police searched the Delaney Court property where Grixti lived with his parents. They discovered two homemade 12-gauge shotguns, three single fire shotguns, three homemade silencers and a homemade handgun, as well as ammunition and various gun parts.
Grixti was arrested and searched by police at Sunshine. They found a small bag containing methylamphetamine. A search of his home uncovered 5.5 grams of 1-4 Butanediol, a drug that mimics the effects of GHB.
Grixti was on bail at the time of these offences following December, 2016, charges of importation of prohibited items, firearm offences and trafficking drugs of
dependence.
The court heard that Grixti had struggled for at least six years with drug use, but that since entering custody he had returned no positive drug tests and had also undertaken a number of educational courses and a drug and alcohol program.
Judge Michael O’Connell said that while it was commendable that Grixti was motivated to change his ways and had shown remorse, a prison sentence must be imposed to dissuade others.
“Whilst I am impressed with the efforts that you have made in custody … these offences are very serious and in my view require the imposition of a head sentence with a non-parole period,” Judge O’Connell said.
“(The guilty pleas) not only evidence a willingness to facilitate the course of justice and an acceptance of responsibility for your offending, but they do support (defence lawyer) Ms Cooper’s submission that you are genuinely remorseful and motivated to change the circumstances that have led to your offending in the past.”
Grixti will serve a minimum of 18 months
in jail.
