A 58 year-old man was jailed for nine months for the possession of prohibited weapons and firearms when he appeared in Magistrates? Court yesterday.

The court heard how Police discovered a wrist rocket sling shot, a Crosman air pistol, a Gamo air pistol, and Olan 12 gauge signal flare launcher with flares when they searched the home of Dennis Roberts in April

Roberts, of Knapton Hill, Paget, pleaded guilty to all five counts.

Defence lawyer Mark Pettingill urged Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner to be lenient on Roberts, pointing out that his client had no prior convictions.

He informed the court that these were minor weapons and that they had been stored away.

And he went on to say that the weapons were so old that he ?could spit the pellets harder? than the weapons could discharge them.

Mr. Pettingill also told the court that it was Roberts ex-girlfriend who had taken the firearms out of storage and informed the Police of there whereabouts.

Mr. Warner told Mr. Pettingill that ?hell hath no fury greater than a woman scorned?.

Mr. Pettingill also said that many people were not aware that certain signal flares were illegal and as a boating man Roberts had them for safety reasons.

But Mr. Warner felt that ?times have changed with regard to this community and violence in this community...? and that no possession of prohibited weapons or firearms could be taken lightly.

Roberts was fined $1,000 for both the wrist rocket launcher and the flare launcher and $500 for the flares. Roberts was sentenced to nine months imprisonment for each of the air pistols to be served concurrently.