Prominent far-right activist avoids jail time over firearms charges
A prominent New Zealand far-right activist has been sentenced to community detention with supervision after he was found in possession of a prohibited firearm despite not holding a firearms licence.
Kyle Chapman, the former leader of the far-right National Front white nationalist group, was arrested following a search warrant at a Christchurch address on September 8.
The 52-year-old was charged with the unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
Yesterday, he was sentenced in the Christchurch District Court by Judge Tom Gilbert.
According to the summary of facts, police found a Norinco 7.62mm rifle stored in the wardrobe of his bedroom. He was also in possession of a 7.62mm magazine, which was kept in a camo-print bag under his bed. Three other 7.62mm rifle rounds, 46 .22 calibre rounds, three 12-gauge shotgun shells and two .22 magazines were also in the bag. In the garage was a zip-lock bag containing 82 .22 rounds of ammunition and one 7.62 round of ammunition.
In explanation, Chapman told police the rifle was an airsoft rifle that he was given by a friend who had since died. He also pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to comply with Covid-19 lockdown requirements.
Chapman’s lawyer, Joshua Grainger, said Chapman had gotten himself into a situation over the years of “hoarding many possessions which he had from his past”.
With assistance from family, he has since cleared out his house to make it a better place for his responsibilities as a father and he has pulled back from activism.
He said Chapman was “fairly selfmotivated” in addressing the needs he had.
Judge Gilbert said there was no suggestion the firearms he was in possession of were used or taken into the public.
Chapman had some previous convictions but they were from more than 30 years ago.
“They are now so old that in my view that can’t have a material bearing on the sentence I impose on you today,” Judge Gilbert said.
The judge had read the presentence report including letters from his children and his partner.
“It’s apparent you’ve been involved as an activist over the years for various causes, including, at times, far-right groups.
“The pre-sentence report says that you have told the writer that you have decided to give those activities away and focus primarily on your family.”
Judge Gilbert said he would ordinarily be “somewhat sceptical”, but the material he had read did suggest this is what has happened.
The pre-sentence report writer said he was at a “low risk of reoffending”.
He sentenced Chapman to six months of home detention with supervision. The various firearms and ammunition would be forfeited to the Crown.
Chapman earlier posted on Facebook that he “got raided and arrested”.
“Thank (sic) a miracle from God I was not held in custody. But I am looking at jail in the future.”