Malcolm Roy Bartholomew admitted to the most serious charge of possessing three or more unregistered firearms, one being a prohibited pistol, in Inverell Local Court on Thursday last week.

After accepting the plea, Magistrate Jennifer Giles committed Bartholomew for sentence in the Armidale District Court with 13 separate other offences to be taken into account when a penalty is handed down.

The charges stem from a raid on Bartholomew’s home in April this year. New England detectives were investigating illegal firearms when they cornered Bartholomew at the Bannockburn Road home.

During a search on April 24, officers found four firearms being hidden in the home.

As part of the police facts into the case, detectives discovered the manufactured pistol, a .303-calibre rifle, a shotgun and a .38-calibre rifle.

The charges also relate to the possession of a commercially manufactured slingshot and almost 800 rounds of ammunition. According to police, Bartholomew did not hold a licence for any of the weapons. A date for a sentencing hearing will be fixed after the case heads to court in October.