Former political hopeful who failed to comply with firearm laws and lied to police cops hefty court fine

A former WA Labor candidate who had five guns in his bedroom and lied to police about their whereabouts has been dealt a fine. Bradley James Willis appeared in Katanning Magistrates Court on January 20, for failing to ensure safekeeping of his firearms and misleading police in a manner likely to affect the officers duties. The 61-year-old had pleaded guilty to the misleading police charge and not guilty to the safekeeping charge during his first appearance on November 18. But Willis decided to change the initial not guilty plea to guilty at his latest appearance. Willis had been drinking with his son at his new home in Katanning when a physical fight had broken out between the pair and Willis received a blow to the head from his son, on September 5. At about 9.15pm police arrived at the home responding to the fight. While at Willis’ new address, police asked him about his firearms and licence, which Willis responded that all his guns remained at his former home in an up-to-code gun safe. But when police searched the home they discovered three firearms in the wardrobe, one under the bed and a fifth next to the beside table. His lawyer Eva Svanberg said her client did not know why he had lied to police and related it to a potential head injury after the fight. Ms Svanberg said Willis’ gun safe had been damaged and could no longer safely store the guns and he believed the guns would be safer with him instead of in a broken safe at his old residence, which he still owned. She said Willis intended to sell the firearms shortly after moving. Willis told the court he would like to apologise to the Labor party as he put his name in as a candidate for the State seat of Roe for the past three terms. Magistrate Rosemarie Myers said Willis clearly knew the firearm licence requirements and chose to not comply, but noted he had no criminal record and was of prior good character. Willis was fined $1500 plus $308.80 in costs, and was ordered to forfeit his firearms to police. Ms Myers accepted Willis’ application for a spent conviction on the basis of future employment opportunities.