The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Father and son face jail for possession of lethal weapons haul
Pair from Auchterarder found with dumdum bullets and tear gas at their home
A father and son have been warned they face up to 10 years in prison after being discovered with a firearms haul including chemical weapons banned from use in international warfare.
James, 66, and Stuart McCullie, 41, were discovered to be keeping tear gas and dumdum bullets at their home when it was raided in relation to allegations of extreme pornography.
The duo admitted charges when they appeared at Perth Sheriff Court yesterday and were warned the maximum sentence on each charge was 10 years in prison.
Former soldier James McCullie admitted having prohibited ammunition – five live long rifle cartridges – which had been designed or adapted to expand on impact.
The so-called dumdum, or expanding, bullets are designed to spread on impact, increasing in diameter to produce a larger wound for faster incapacitation.
They are often used for hunting but are generally prohibited for use in war by international convention.
McCullie Sr’s involvement came to light when the family home at Hillhead Farm Steadings, Auchterarder, was raided by police investigating the downloading of bestiality images.
He was charged in connection with possession of extreme content but that charge was dropped by the Crown yesterday.
Stuart McCullie admitted having seven prohibited live 6mm Flobert gas irritant cartridges containing CN which were recovered during the police raid on September 8 2015.
He also admitted having a prohibited weapon, namely a starter pistol designed or adapted to discharge noxious liquid or gas.
The court was told that the CN cartridges were tear gas which is used for riot control by some police forces but is also banned from use in international warfare.
Tear gas, formally known as a lachrymator agent, is a chemical weapon that causes severe eye and respiratory pain, skin irritation, bleeding, and even blindness.
Depute fiscal Lynne Mannion said factory worker Stuart McCullie had been questioned by police on another matter and was being driven home when he confessed about his illicit weapon.
Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said: “I have looked at sentencing practice and, by my calculations, the maximum sentence on each charge is 10 years.
“Of perhaps greater significance, as far as I can see, is that there is a minimum penalty.”
Sheriff Foulis deferred sentence on both for the preparation of reports and they were granted bail.
Ihave looked at sentencing practice and, by my calculations, the maximum sentence on each charge is 10 years. SHERIFF LINDSAY FOULIS