Catalone man sentenced to lengthy probation for weapon offences

SYDNEY — A Catalone man narrowly avoided a jail term in being sentenced Friday on a weapon offence.

Bryan Gerard Campbell, 62, was given a suspended sentence with a three-year probation period on charges of careless use of a firearm and unauthorized possession of a firearm — an Astra-Unceta .22-calibre revolver.

Other weapon offences were withdrawn. The offences occurred Jan. 6 in Catolone.

Weapon offences, especially in cases where the weapon has been discharged, usually attract a jail sentence but there can be exceptional circumstances that a judge can consider at the time of sentence.

Campbell’s sentence was a joint recommendation by prosecutor Peter Harrison and defence lawyer Vince Gillis and accepted by Supreme Court Justice Robin Gogan.

In addition to the probation period, Campbell was also ordered to submit a DNA sample to the national registry and to pay a $200 victim surcharge fine. He is also banned from possessing firearms for 10 years and ordered to forfeit the weapon to the Crown.

Police were called in January to Campbell’s home by his wife. Her husband had been drinking and was telling her he wanted to commit suicide.

Prior to the incident, Campbell had run out of medication for his chronic back pain and was unable to secure a refill as his physician had closed his practice.

In a bid to ease his back pain, Campbell began to rely on alcohol.

He did fire off one shot from the revolver.

In arriving on scene, police reported that Campbell was co-operative with officers.

The court was told Friday that Campbell is back on his medication and has now engaged the services of a nurse practitioner.

Among the conditions of his probation, Campbell is to continue his mental health and substance abuse counselling.