by Cam Lucadou-Wells
A former-Springvale man who stashed guns in his bedroom while under a firearm prohibition order has been jailed.
Brett Audsley, 43 at the time, pleaded guilty in the County Court of Victoria to multiple firearms and ammunition charges including insecurely storing the guns.
He also pled to cultivating 13 cannabis plants and possessing illegal fireworks, a dagger weapon and 30 grams of ice for personal use.
During a police search of his Pearcedale home on 3 February, police found a loaded .32 calibre revolver with loose rounds in his bedside drawer and a five-shot revolver in a tall boy drawer.
At the time, he was subject to a 10-year firearm prohibition order from 2020.
Judge Trevor Wraight said Audsley’s heavy drug addiction, access to a loaded gun and his violent history created a “dangerous combination of circumstances”.
Audsley grew up in Springvale in a “tumultuous”, violent and neglectful home, with his father cooking meth for bikie gangs.
As a child, Audsley would play with his dad’s handguns and was exposed to criminal activity such as cannabis and stolen vehicles stored at his home.
He’d used various drugs since his teens, including becoming addicted to Xanax while recovering from a car crash.
According to a psychologist, Audsley was at a point of his life where he was determined to be drug and crime free. He was also becoming open to discussing his childhood traumas.
He’d reportedly performed well during his previous parole period in 2020.
Judge Wraight noted Audsley’s desire to reform and rated his rehabilitation prospects as “reasonable”.
However, a “strong message” also needed to be sent for breaching firearm prohibition orders – which were designed to keep the community safe from gun-related violence.
Audsley’s long, relevant criminal record and the seriousness of offending were also a factor.
He was jailed for two years and nine months, with an 18-month non-parole period.
His term includes 272 days in pre-sentence detention.
