Why man had a Semi-auto rifle in car

A MAN busted with a semiautomatic rifle and ammunition will be paroled in June.

Jayden Wayne Higgins yesterday pleaded guilty to illegally possessing explosives, unlawful possession of a weapon category C/E and a string of other offences.

Police found drug paraphernalia at a property in June last year and a semiautomatic rifle and ammunition in a car nearby.

Higgins, serving out a suspended sentence imposed by the District Court at the time, admitted to owning the items.

Solicitor Jodi Allen, of Allen & Searing Criminal Lawyers, said after being released from prison he was getting his life back on track but it spiralled after he tried liquid fantasy (GHB).

From there "for a period of almost one week" he has no recollection of the offences, the court heard.

He was sentenced to two-and-a-half-years' prison and will be released on parole on June 7.

He will be committed to Southport District Court at a later date for breaching his suspended sentence.

He had already spent 250 days in pre-sentence custody.