A police officer faces being kicked off the force after pleading guilty to a gun charge.
Police Constable Jay Greer appeared in the dock yesterday to face fraud and firearms charges. The 30-year-old, who has been a cop for 10 years, admitted possessing an air rifle without having the required licence.
The weapon, an SMK rifle capable of firing 5.5m pellets, was stashed in the garage of the home he shared with his wife in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. His not guilty plea was accepted to the fraud charge, which said he'd lied to a finance company to obtain a loan in his wife's name to buy a guitar.
In a bid to save his career his lawyer asked for an absolute discharge to be imposed, which would see him not receive a conviction and possibly allow him to keep his job. Procurator Fiscal Depute Chris Munro told Kilmarnock Sheriff Court that the offence came to light in 2018 after Greer had split from his wife, Jade Norman-Greer.
The prosecutor explained: "The accused and the witness Norman were previously husband and wife.
"The witness Norman was in contact with officers of Police Scotland in relation to what was formerly charge one [the fraud charge]. On October 2, 2018, she attended a police station with a gun which had been found by her father.
"It was found within a secure garage at what was the former marital home. She advised that the accused had a hobby and fully believed it to be his.
"She had handed it in on the advice of officers she'd spoken to in respect of another matter."
The rifle was given to firearms experts at the Scottish Police Authority, who checked the gun over and confirmed it was in good condition and in working order.
Greer admitted possessing the gun between July 22, 2017, and October 2, 2018, "without holding an air weapon certificate".
The officer, whose address was given on court papers as care of Police Scotland Professional Standards department, admitted breaking Section 2(1) of the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015. Defence solicitor Pamela Rodgers said Greer had not been living in the house at the time as he had split from his wife and had agreed not to return to the property.
She said: "He had purchased this in 2013 but never used it, There was no ammunition found with it.
"He had put it into the garage with other items - it was essentially used as a dumping ground - and he simply forgot about it after that. It was inside a bag on top of a beam in the garage.
"He'd bought it with a view to joining a gun club. He didn't follow through with it so it's actually never been used. I have a number of character references from colleagues and superiors, as well as managers, past and present."
She asked Sheriff Michael Hanlon to consider imposing an absolute discharge, which sees an offender avoid being given a criminal record despite admitting breaking the law.
And she said she had asked Police Scotland to provide a letter "on how a conviction might impact his career" over fears he could lose his job by becoming a convicted criminal.
But she said one could not be provided due to disciplinary procedures.
Sheriff Hanlon said: "The acceptance of the offence will be recorded. I will not record it as a conviction as yet. I will continue consideration of an absolute discharge until the next occasion, for the gun to be in court for consideration as well."
Greer, who has worked as a constable in Paisley, Renfrewshire, will learn his fate next month.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "A 28-year-old man has been reported to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in relation to alleged fraud and air weapons offences in Kilmarnock."
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