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A fisherman who hid an Uzi submachine gun in his television set with the intention of selling it has been jailed for 12 months.
Michael Crick, 29, of Union Village, Claxton Bay, pleaded guilty to the charge of being in possession of the prohibited weapon.
He appeared in the San Fernando Second Court before Magistrate Natalie Diop.
Crick was arrested on Monday after WPC Seerattan, along with Sgt McIntosh PC Beharry, PC Ragbir and PC Spencer executed a search warrant at his Beckles Lane home. The gun was found in the television set.
He was charged by WPC Seerattan.
Through his attorney Ainsley Lucky, Crick asked for leniency. Lucky said Crick, a father of one, had no previous convictions or pending matters. He said Crick found the gun a year ago and kept it.
“At the time he also was experiencing some economic anxiety and he was hoping to put it on the market, but that did not happen,” said Lucky.
However, prosecutor Ramdath Phillip noted that the maximum penalty for this offence is $75,000 or 15 years in prison.
“This is not just a gun. The accused is not just charged with gun possession, this is a prohibited gun. No one is allowed to even apply for this weapon. It is prohibited,” said Phillip.
He asked the magistrate to consider the crime situation and the number of murders in the country, 95 per cent of which are committed by the use of guns.
“This Uzi has the capacity to fire 600 rounds per minute,” Phillip said. The magistrate said the weapon was one of mass destruction.
Before sending Crick to jail, the magistrate told him that the nation is under a crime wave and as a citizen of the country he ought to respect and obey the law.