Former licensed firearm holder freed of charges over election day incident

Tanker driver, Ian Walters, 56, has been freed of charges brought against him for allegedly having his licensed firearm inside a polling station in 2020.

He was also accused of failing to hand it over upon the lawful request of a police officer.

The charges were dropped when he appeared in the St. Catherine Parish Court yesterday. 

It was alleged that on election day, September 3, 2020, police observed Walters with a bulge in his waist when he was directed to join a line at the Holiness Temple Basic School in St. Catherine. 

Upon enquiry, the police reportedly asked him to produce his firearm for inspection, which he initially refused to do. He turned over the weapon on a third request, however. 

Walters was later accused of breaching the Firearms Act, which prohibited him from having his firearm at a polling station. 

However, in court today, his attorney, Queen's Counsel Peter Champagnie, submitted that neither offence was made out.   

Champagnie argued that the legislation exempted persons like Walters who were about their lawful business to cast their vote. 

It was pointed out that at the time, Walters had been directed to join the line by the police to cast his vote when the discovery was made.  

In relation to the charge of failing to hand over his firearm, the lawyer said Walters did hand it over, albeit on the third request. 

Champagnie also pointed out that in any event there was no evidence to suggest that his client was within one hundred meters of the polling station as was stipulated by law that would have given rise to any breach.

Following those arguments, the prosecution withdrew the charges against Walters.

Walters' gun licence was revoked following the incident. 

- Rasbert Turner