DELSON Wayne, 30, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on Thursday after he was found guilty of the illegal possession of firearm and ammunition.

Wayne, a mason of East Ruimveldt, Housing Scheme was also ordered to pay a fine of $60,000 after he was convicted of having a .380 pistol and three matching rounds in his possession on October 6, 2016, when he was not the holder of a firearm license.

In her decision, the Chief Magistrate said that the prosecution was successful in proving that Wayne had physical control and custody of the gun. The Magistrate further added that the ammunition was a component of the gun; that Wayne was not a licensed firearm holder and what he had in his possession was a firearm.

Before passing the custodial sentence, the Chief Magistrate took into consideration the time Wayne spent on remand pending trial. The Chief Magistrate also considered the prevalence and nature of the offence and the fact that the gun was a lethal barrel weapon.

But Wayne maintained his innocence and told the court that he has a family to take care of. According to reports, police stopped and searched Wayne and a friend in Caneview Avenue, South Ruimveldt when they found the gun in Wayne’s crotch.

At his initial court appearance Wayne had told the court that he had a toy gun in his bag, which he had confiscated from a child on his way to work. He had claimed that the child shot him several times with small pellets from the toy gun.

In 2016, Wayne along with three others were freed of a charge of illegal possession of firearm and ammunition by City Magistrate Fabayo Azore.

The quartet were cleared of the charge after the Magistrate upheld a no-case submission by their lawyers.