Geraldton father Daniel John Prunster in court over gun, ammo charges including pointing shotgun at his baby

A Woorree father of two is in legal trouble after being pictured pointing a shotgun at his baby daughter and leaving a cache of firearms and ammunition strewn about his bedroom at the family home. In a case which police described as a “disaster just waiting to happen”, Daniel John Prunster, 25, pleaded guilty last Thursday in Geraldton Magistrate’s Court to a string of charges, including failing to adequately store firearms, pointing a firearm at another person, and possessing cannabis. Prunster’s reckless idiocy came to light, the court was told , when police searched a vehicle belonging to his partner at about 6am on March 5, and found 68 rounds of ammunition and 14g of cannabis. Officers then searched his home and discovered 10 rounds of .223 ammunition, a single shotgun round, and .223 rounds near the gun safe in the main bedroom wardrobe, which did not have a separate compartment for ammunition, as required under law. A belt containing 25 rounds of shotgun ammunition, a .22 and .223 magazine containing live ammunition, were also found under furniture around the room, along with 40g of cannabis. A mobile phone was also seized, on which a photo was uncovered showing Prunster pointing a shotgun at a child, with the child holding a rifle, timestamped with a date in April 2020. Prunster’s lawyer said the child was his young daughter and he was showing her the proper way to hold a firearm while he had taken it out to clean and had removed the bolts and ammunition. Prunster’s daughter turned two in January, so would have been about 15 months old at the time of the photograph. The father of two is a licensed firearm holder of a .22-calibre and a .223-calibre rifle, as well as a 12-gauge shotgun, and faces having his licence revoked by the court. Police prosecutor Sgt Troy Gildersleeve said the photograph displayed irresponsible behaviour around firearms. “The rule is to treat all firearms as dangerous and he has (not done this),” he said. “The gun cabinet key was in the vehicle and ammunition was scattered around. It was a recipe for disaster just waiting to happen. His negligence could have resulted in a fatal accident.” In February, a photograph posted to Prunster’s Facebook page showed a baby in a crib with a belt of ammunition draped across it, with the caption: “My nugget trying to be a Russian”. Police have requested the destruction of the firearms, ammunition and cannabis, and made an application to have Prunster’s firearms licence revoked, with Sgt Gildersleeve saying the accused didn’t take gun safety seriously. Defence lawyer Amy Bowlay told the court Prunster used the firearms to go hunting and for “cultural reasons”, as well as for controlling vermin around his home and other properties, for which he was paid. Ms Bowlay said Prunster acknowledged there were safety issues with how he had failed to store the ammunition and firearms, but it was not an ongoing habit as he had come home at 1.30am that day and did not put them away properly “because it was so early”. Ms Bowlay said Prunster admitted the photo appeared to be dangerous, but it was not. She said in terms of cannabis, he had bought it for personal use to help manage his ADHD, and he was regularly drug-tested as part of his gainful employment as a fisherman. She said Mr Prunster was the sole provider for his family, which included his two-year-old and five-month-old children and his “supportive” father and grandfather. “He has support to reduce potential recidivism, and some of this could be put down to his diagnosis of ADHD,” Ms Bowlay said. Magistrate Chris Miocevich remanded sentencing until April 19. If Prunster’s firearms licence is not revoked, police could appeal to the State Administrative Tribunal. On March 9, after his arrest, Prunster took to Facebook. “I needed a wake up call,” he posted. “I’m ready for a change in my life thanks everyone ... much love times are changing.”