Nassau, BAHAMAS-Police arrested a man for having an unlicensed firearm after he called officers during a domestic dispute.
Wendel Smith, 35, called police on May 3 after a row with his girlfriend became heated, the court heard.
When the officers arrived to investigate the domestic call, the girlfriend told them that he had a gun.
Based on this information, the officers searched a closet and found a black 12-gauge shotgun with 21 unfired shells.
Officers arrested Smith after he admitted that he didn’t have a valid license for the weapon.
Investigations showed that Smith didn’t renew the gun license for five years.
Smith pleaded guilty to possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition at his arraignment before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt.
Smith told the court that he called the police because he feared that his girlfriend’s relatives were going to gang him.
He said that didn’t renew the license because he had experienced financial hardship.
Ferguson-Pratt told Smith that having an unlicensed or illegal firearm is against the law and could result in a prison sentence.
However, she said that the circumstances did not warrant a custodial sentence.
Instead, the magistrate fined Smith $2,500 and placed him on probation for 12 months.
If he breaches the condition of his probation or doesn’t pay the fine, he will spend six months in prison.
