Weapons stash a ‘tragic tale’
A DOOMSDAY prepper has admitted stockpiling an arsenal of illegal weapons at his family home in Batesford.
Bernard Gardas, 46, pleaded guilty yesterday to charges including being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
Police raided the mechanical engineer’s home on February 13. The bomb squad was required to attend to ensure the safety of officers, who found guns and firearm parts spread throughout a garage and adjacent shed.
The haul included a Stirling model 14-bolt action rifle, a pump-action 22-calibre firearm, a handgun, silencer, bulletproof vests and commercial-grade fireworks.
A sawn-off double-barrel shotgun was found on the floor next to live rounds of ammunition.
The court heard none of the weapons were correctly stored at the property, which Gardas shared with his partner and their five-year-old son.
Gardas has been in custody since police arrested him at a North Geelong service station shortly before the raid.
Asked by detectives why he had the guns, Gardas said: “Preparing for the hard times and the you-never-know times.”
The court was told Gardas committed similar offending in 2017 and there was a likelihood he had bipolar disorder.
Defence lawyer Tas Roubos said his client’s fascination with firearms was intertwined with a belief he needed to protect his family from “impending doom”. “This is a tragic tale of someone who has a mental health issue,” he said.
Mr Roubos said many of the firearms were inoperable and that Gardas’ latest stint in custody had served as a wake-up call. “He has no ambition to touch a firearm ever again,” Mr Roubos said.
Magistrate Simon Guthrie will sentence Gardas on May 28.