According to 29-year-old Alex G., a large stock of antique weapons and ammunition in his mother’s guest room is a hobby that has gotten out of hand. This summer, the police discovered a shotgun, starter revolvers and alarm pistols and 1153 bullets in his room in Rijsenhout. The OM is concerned, while Axel was unaware of any harm.
“Those weapons are just beautiful to hang on the wall,” says Axel today during the substantive treatment of his criminal case. The 29-year-old man from Rijsenhout was arrested at the end of May drunk at Schiphol because he caused a nuisance there. The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee finds a folding knife and ammunition in his backpack, after which the police decide to conduct further investigation at his mother’s home, where he lived at the time.
Shotgun, revolvers and a slingshot
The police find a shotgun, several (starting) revolvers, alarm pistols, a butterfly knife, brass knuckles and a slingshot. Although Axel confirms that it concerns his weapons, he does not remember how he got it: “I have no active memory of that.”
“I was also shocked by the amount of bullets I had”
In addition to the weapons, 1153 bullets were found, and according to the OM, indications were also found for a weapon and/or ammunition trade. A found envelope contains calculations that, according to Axel, are very innocent: “Those were calculations for doing odd jobs.” When asked by the court why terms such as ‘9mm’ and ‘.31’ were also on it, he denies that these were bullets. “I was also shocked by the amount of bullets I had,” he says. “It was more than I expected.”
Prison sentence
After his arrest, Axel G. will be held in pre-trial detention until the beginning of November. “I was stuck all summer,” he adds. His lawyer van Haasteren says: “But he behaved well there and was even given some freedoms. Compliments therefore for the Public Prosecution Service, which also argued for a suspension of his pre-trial detention.”
However, the Public Prosecution Service blames him for possessing those weapons and therefore asked for a prison sentence of 330 days, of which 173 were suspended. If the court agrees with the sentence, G. does not have to go back to prison. G. had already been detained for 157 days during his pre-trial detention.
Furthermore, the Public Prosecution Service asks for a fine of almost 2,000 euros, something that Axel and his lawyer are not in favor of: “I am already behind with my allowances, with such a fine I would only get into further money problems”, says Axel G.
The court will rule in the case in mid-December.