Judge takes extra time to decide ruling in possession of ‘killing machine’

A FORMER gun dealer must wait another week to learn if he will be jailed for handling a weapon described in court as a “mass killing machine”.

Whittington man Mark White was due to be sentenced in the Geelong County Court yesterday, but Judge Gerard Mullaly said he needed more time to consider his options.

White, 47, was caught in August 2016 while in possession of a fully automatic machine gun capable of firing up to 1000 rounds a minute.

The gun was not branded and did not have a serial number, but authorities believe it was manufactured by Thureon in the US.

White pleaded guilty this year to possessing an unregistered category E longarm — a charge that carries a maximum sentence of seven years in jail.

Prosecutor Linda Skoblar argued the father of two should be locked up for having the “extremely dangerous” weapon.

Ms Skoblar described the Thureon firearms as “mass killing machines” that could not be legally imported.

“They can properly be seen as some of the worst kind of firearms available,” she said.

“As a licensed firearms dealer, Mr White would have been well aware of . . . the damage that firearm could do.”

White came to the attention of police while they covertly investigated his associate, Paul Munro, who was illegally importing Thureon guns in 2016.

Munro — who is serving a 15-year jail term — led authorities to White’s doorstep when he borrowed a part of the firearm to show an undercover policeman posing as an interested buyer.

Defence barrister Glenn Casement said his client’s decision to hand over the firearm was not properly thought out.

“It was perhaps the worst decision Mr White has ever made in his entire life,” Mr Casement said.

He has pushed for White to be spared jail, claiming it would be a “disaster” for the gunsmith’s family.

He said the man provided structural and emotional al support to his wife, who has an acquired brain injury, while the situation of his special needs son would likely regress if White was locked up.

Judge Mullaly adjourned sentencing until August 9 to consider whether the man should be jailed.

“It’s something that just needs a bit more time and I’m going to take that time to get this right,” he said.

White’s bail was extended until the next court hearing.