Brad Shipton admits gun charge

Former Tauranga city councillor and policeman Brad Shipton has admitted having a pistol without a licence.

The antique World War 2 Colt model 1911 .45 calibre pistol was found in Shipton's home last year and he was charged with unlawfully possessing it.

The offence carries a maximum penalty of three years' jail or fine of up to $4000.

Shipton pleaded not guilty to the charge in November.

But in a surprise move yesterday, the 46-year-old changed his plea to guilty.

The case had been set down for a two-hour hearing before Judge Michael Hobbs, and Crown prosecutor Nick Chisnall yesterday said 13 witnesses would be called to give evidence against Shipton, including six who would give oral evidence from the witness box.

But after the first witness was called, Judge Hobbs asked to see Mr Chisnall, and Shipton's lawyer, Bill Nabney, in chambers.

The lawyers were behind closed doors for about half an hour before returning to court.

Mr Nabney then entered a plea of guilty on behalf of his client.

He asked that no conviction be entered against Shipton until he was sentenced by Judge Hobbs tomorrow.

Police said the pistol was found in Shipton's Cambridge Rd home during a search on July 19 last year. Officers were searching the house on an unrelated matter.

The pistol was found wrapped in newspaper in a plastic bag in the rafters of Shipton's garage.

It was described as being in a disassembled state with no magazine case.

But police were able to put the gun back together, and a test shot proved it was working and still accurate.

The police documents said that despite the missing magazine, ammunition for the pistol could still be bought from sports shops. Shipton offered police no explanation for why he had the pistol.

In court yesterday, an elderly local woman -- whose name is suppressed -- said she found the pistol in her husband's office in 2000, after he died.

She was the only witness to give evidence in court before the lawyers went into chambers.

She said she believed the pistol had been given to her husband by an American air force officer during World War 2 as a memento.

Her husband had been in the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

She said did not want the gun in her house in case it came into the hands of one of her grandchildren.

Her son said he knew a former police detective who might be able to take it off her hands.

Her son then took Shipton round to his mother's house where she gave him the pistol, wrapped in newspaper and in a plastic bag.

It was still in that form when it was found by police.

The only other evidence presented in court yesterday was the handing over of five exhibits, including the pistol, newspaper, plastic bag and pictures of the garage it was found in.

After the hearing, Shipton refused to answer media questions.

- BAY OF PLENTY TIMES