A Royal New Zealand Air Force airman has been sentenced to 200 hours community service at the Blenheim District Court on Wednesday after stealing gun parts from the Defence Force.
Flight Sergeant Murray John Smith had initially pleaded not guilty to stealing automatic pistol parts worth more than $2000 and unlawfully possessing automatic pistol barrels and slides.
Smith had initially denied stealing gun parts from the Defence Force but later did a U-turn, changing his plea to guilty on the second day of the trial.
Defence lawyer Philip Watson had argued for a discharge without conviction but that was rejected by Judge Jan Kelly.
A statement from the Defence Force stated that Smith's employment would be reviewed regardless of the outcome of the trial.
The components were restricted items from obsolete weapons no longer in use by the NZDF.
His colleague, armaments technician Oliver Powell, told the court at the judge-alone trial that he caught Smith grinding serial numbers off gun components on February 10 last year.
Smith then allegedly placed the items in a plastic bag and took them home from an RNZAF Base in Woodbourne.
The components were restricted items from obsolete weapons that are no longer in use by the Defence Force.
Another colleague Jacob Gorst told the court he took photographs of Smith grinding serial numbers off restricted gun components after he became concerned he was "up to some dodgy stuff again".
Newshub.
