Home D for gun toter

Gun-toting drug addict Brayden Stampa received full credit for completing a treatment programme at his sentencing hearing, despite an early exit.

Stampa appeared before Judge Jonathan Krebs in the Whanganui District Court on Monday facing three charges of unlawfully possessing firearms and ammunition and one each of possession of methamphetamine and theft of a motor vehicle.

The 25-year-old had previously pleaded guilty to the charges after being given a sentencing indication, and then the opportunity to attend the Salvation Army Bridge Programme for people affected by the harmful use of alcohol or drugs.

Judge Krebs noted Stampa had all but finished the programme, but left two days early after objecting to a female supervising his urine test.

Defence lawyer Stephanie Burlace said Stampa did the test later and should still receive full credit in the circumstances.

“The pleasing part was the test was clear when they did it.”

Burlace said Stampa was also entitled to a discount for issues identified in a cultural report.

The judge said it was a positive outcome despite the end.

Stampa stole a Subaru car from Fitzherbert Ave, Whanganui, on May 17, 2021 by breaking the ignition, and later did a petrol drive-off, which was captured on CCTV, in the vehicle from a BP Connect service station, the summary of facts states.

Police discovered the stolen car at a Swiss Ave address the next day.

“Its condition was noticed due to having false registration plates attached to it and damage commonly found on stolen motor vehicles.”

Stampa was found at the address but denied knowing anything about the car, along with a red backpack containing car conversion tools and a loaded sawn-off .22 calibre firearm with his name written on it.

Police also searched Stampa, who doesn’t hold a firearms license, finding a further 28 rounds of .22 rifle ammunition matching the bullets in the gun.

On January 26, 2022, police found Stampa playing pokies in the Shotz Bar and Gaming Lounge on Guyton St.

Stampa immediately became cagey and pleaded not to be handcuffed when officers arrested him on an unrelated matter.

Before being put into a police car, Stampa was searched and a pistol was discovered in a holster around his waistline.

The pistol was later identified as a cut down ‘Element’ 410 shotgun, and a number of ‘solid shot’ cartridges were also found by police, along with a plastic bag containing 0.08 grams of methamphetamine.

Judge Krebs said the aggravating factors included that Stampa had the firearm in a public place with easy access to it and that he was on prison release conditions at the time.

Stampa was given a total discount of 40 per cent on a sentence start point of 40 months’ imprisonment for factors including a cultural report detailing how his father was heavily involved with the Black Power.

“You missed the influence of a positive father figure in your life,” the judge said.

Credit was also given for the time Stampa served on remand as well as EM-bail, reducing the sentence to seven months and one week, which was then converted to three months and two weeks of home detention.