Peptide raid uncovers ammo at Geelong home
A GEELONG dad has been fined after a police raid on his home uncovered ammunition and human growth hormones.
Samuel Batterbury, 31, appeared on Tuesday at Geelong Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty to possessing the items.
Prosecutor Senior Constable David Vanderpol told the court Batterbury was busted when police conducted a search warrant at his Moolap home about 4am on February 11 this year.
During a search of the
Wellington St address, investigators seized 19 vials of somatropin human growth hormones from Batterbury’s fridge.
A small box of Winchester ammunition was also located inside a firearm safe.
The court heard Batterbury did not hold a current firearms licence at the time of the raid.
The father of one was arrested at the scene and interviewed, telling police the human growth hormones were used for recovery and that he knew they were illegal to possess. He also admitted that the ammunition belonged to him.
Defence lawyer Nick Marcevski said that a string of character references had been penned to the court in support of Batterbury.
Mr Marcevski said his client had been using the hormones to aid in his recovery from injury, while the ammunition was unintentionally left in the safe after Batterbury was prohibited from holding a firearm licence.
“Mr Batterbury did borrow his father’s firearm and ammunition when he was a licensed firearm holder,” he said.
“At the stage when he became prohibited, he returned the firearm to his father and forgot the ammunition in his gun safe.”
Magistrate Simon Guthrie said he hoped the court case served as a “lesson” for Batterbury as he imposed a $1250 fine without conviction.