Greenock man Tyrone Gallacher sentenced for weapons offences

Tyrone Gallacher was placed under supervision after police discovered the two weapons during a search of his home last December.

The 29-year-old found out his fate at Greenock Sheriff Court last week after pleading guilty at a previous hearing to two charges.

He admitted being in possession of a knuckleduster at a property on John Wilson Street on December 19 last year, as well as having a zombie knife.

Gallacher was alleged to have been found in possession of two further knuckledusters and A a quantity of the class B drug cannabis, but his pleas of not guilty to those charges were accepted by the Crown.

Fiscal depute Pamela Brady told the court that police had attended the address at around 9:40am to execute a search warrant.

Ms Brady said that a knuckleduster had been recovered from the living room coffee table at the property, with the knife being found on the floor in the same room.

Gallacher was cautioned and charged, and was told by officers that the matter would be reported to the procurator fiscal to decide whether to pursue a prosecution.

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Defence solicitor Amy Spencer noted that the charges against Gallacher – which concern the possession of weapons in a domestic premises, rather than in a public place – were ‘a fairly unusual piece of legislation to be prosecuted under’.

Ms Spencer added: “Mr Gallacher hadn’t appreciated that he ought not to have these items within his home.

“He accepts ignorance of the law is not an excuse.”

Sheriff Kevin Duffy told Gallacher: “If you didn’t know on December 19 that these were offences, then you certainly are aware now.

“There’s always the risk that they [the items] fall into the wrong hands or are taken out the house.”

Gallacher agreed to be placed on a community payback order which will see him put under social work supervision for a period of 12 months.