A Roxanne Burnham Gardens man was on Wednesday remanded to prison after being charged with illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
The charge against 45-year-old Ashton France of Lot 133 Willow Way, Roxanne Burnham Gardens, Georgetown, alleges that on November 12 at the said address, he had in his possession one .38 FN (Fabrique Nationale) semi-automatic pistol without being the holder of a firearm licence.
It was also stated that on the same date and address, he illegally had six live rounds of .32 ammunition while not being a holder of a firearm licence.
France, the father of seven, pleaded not guilty to both charges but bail was refused by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and he was remanded to prison until December 14.
The court was told that ranks from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) along with plain clothes patrol officers from Brickdam carried out an intelligence-led operation in the Roxanne Burnham Gardens area where they visited the house of the accused and found the illegal items in his kitchen.
According to the investigating rank, when France was taken in for questioning, he made an oral statement admitting to the offence.
In the court room on Wednesday, France said that someone may have set him up.
