Truck driver who drove a motorcycle unlicensed while possessing meth and a loaded handmade handgun avoids jail

A truck driver who was riding a motorcycle unlicensed while in possession of methylamphetamine and a loaded, handmade gun has been released from custody after avoiding immediate jail time. James Russell John Young appeared in Katanning Magistrates Court via video link from prison on January 20 for unlawfully possessing a firearm, unlawfully possessing a handgun, possessing a prohibited drug, possessing ammunition without a permit and no authority to drive (incorrect class). The 42-year-old pleaded guilty to all charges during the appearance. On December 7 in Kojonup, Young drove a motorcycle along Albany Highway when he was stopped by police at 2.10pm and it was discovered Young did not hold a driver’s licence for that class. During that same stop, police found a clip seal bag containing 0.1g of meth in his wallet, two firearms in his bag and rounds of 12-gauge ammunition. One of the firearms was a loaded handmade handgun. Lawyer Eva Svanberg said her client claimed he had found the firearms and ammunition in a bag on the side of the road when driving through Mt Barker on his motorcycle earlier that day. Ms Svanberg said Young, who is a truck driver and has his own business, had planned to have a closer look at the firearms before handing them into police, but he decided to travel to Kojonup to do so because he did not get along with Mt Barker police. She said Young understands that he should have called police and not taken the firearms Ms Svanberg said Young was aware how dangerous it looks when a man, with a history of drugs and violence, is seen driving unlicensed on a motorcycle, with meth, two guns and ammunition. Magistrate Rosemarie Myers said she did not believe Young’s reasoning for having the firearms, because not only is it unusual to find two guns in a bag on the side of the road, but unlikely for one to be loaded. Ms Myers said for sentencing purposes she took into consideration Young’s history of firearms and drug offences but noted there had been a gap in offending which indicated Young had made a positive change in his life. She advised Young not to pick illegal items up in the future knowing the consequences and granted him a discount due to an early plea. Ms Myers said she wanted to give him an opportunity to prove himself to the community. Young was sentenced to a seven-month prison sentence suspended for two months and fined $1800. There was also an order to forfeit the guns to police for destruction.