Businessman caught with ammunition after cat triggered alarm

Ammunition not covered by 75-year-old's firearms certificate

A businessman who was caught with ammunition he wasn’t allowed to possess, after a cat triggered his burglar alarm, has been fined £1200.

Michael Anthony Ashley Osborne, of Ballamodha Straight, pleaded guilty to two offences during an appearance at Douglas Courthouse.

Police were called to the 75-year-old’s property on 22 July last year due to the alarm sounding.

Officers found no intruders but did recover two types of ammunition which were not covered by Osborne's  firearms certificate.  

During sentencing Osborne’s advocate said his client had held his firearms trader’s licence for 30 years but accepted he was in the wrong adding: “He simply overlooked getting rid of them.

“He accepts he’s fallen into error on these two occasions. It is of course unfortunate that the cat has triggered the alarm,” he added.

Fining Osborne, and ordering him to pay prosecution costs of £50, Deputy High Bailiff Rachael Braidwood told him whilst it was a ‘relatively low quantity’ it was a ‘serious matter’.

A previous version of this story stated Mr Osborne did not hold a firearms certificate.  We would like to clarify that he does hold a certificate, but this did not cover the ammunition involved in this case.