James Douglas Harrison: Bail denied for Geraldton man after guilty pleas for attempting to sell handgun, drugs

A Geraldton man who pleaded guilty to attempting to sell drugs and a homemade firearm has had his bail denied. James Douglas Harrison, 29, appeared in Geraldton Magistrates Court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to offering to sell 0.5g of methamphetamine, attempting to sell a firearm to an unlicensed person, possessing a firearm in circumstances of aggravation, giving false details to police, and possessing $1500 worth of stolen goods. He pleaded not guilty to two charges of stealing a motor vehicle. A bail application was made after the pleas were entered but Magistrate Angus Hockton noticed Harrison had been sentenced to 11 months jail for offences relating to firearms and supplying drugs in the past. Defence lawyer George Giudice told the court Harrison had a supportive environment to go back to if released on bail, and he was willing to undertake drug and alcohol testing. He said the offences he had pleaded guilty to had occurred while he was drunk. Mr Hockton said attempting to sell a firearm, which was homemade, was a serious matter and not something that occurred spontaneously while drunk. “Having a firearm is not something that happens instantaneously . . . it’s not like when you lash out and punch someone when you are intoxicated,” he said. “These matters are very serious, and attempting to put a firearm into the community is really serious . . . I think a term of immediate imprisonment is extremely likely.” Bail was formally denied, and Harrison was remanded in custody to be back in court on September 18.