Laurent Vandenbroucke, a 42-year-old French tourist who was found guilty of keeping an unlicensed firearm, was ordered on Thursday afternoon to pay a $20,000 fine or spend six months in prison.
Mr. Vandenbroucke, who was visiting the territory to sail, was arrested on Nov. 14 after officers from Her Majesty’s Customs recovered the firearm from his vessel.
Police Detective Constable Darrin Malone, who questioned Mr. Vandenbroucke prior to his arrest, testified during his trial in Magistrates’ Court that the defendant acknowledged that he was the gun’s owner, but claimed the gun was fake.
Police Sergeant Durville Carty, who examined the recovered firearm, testified that the gun’s cylinder had been altered in a way that would prevent it from being loaded.
However, Mr. Carty said he still considered the gun to be an actual revolver, and not a fake.
“It would be able to function [as a gun] if I replace that cylinder with an unaltered one,” he explained.
Defence attorney Marie-Lou Creque told the court on Thursday that her client “meant no disrespect” and had no intention to use the firearm.
She urged Magistrate Ayanna Baptiste-Dabreo to impose a fine instead of a custodial sentence.
Ms. Baptiste-DaBreo, who called the incident “unfortunate,” agreed that a fine would suffice.
Mr. Vandenbroucke was also found guilty of failure to declare the firearm, and he was fined an additional $500 for that offence.
He will remain on remand until the fines are paid.