A HARDGATE farm owner has been fined heavily after admitting having more than 1,200 bullets – several years after his licence was revoked for his problems with alcohol.

Alexander Morton, 74, pleaded guilty to the indictment at an earlier hearing to possession of the large stash of bullets in his home after a search warrant last year.

The offence took place at Cleddans Farm, Cleddans Road on December 18, 2015.

At a previous hearing Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard how police obtained a search warrant on December 3, 2015 under the Misuse of Drugs Act and attended at Cleddans Farm on December 18.

Officers were given access by Morton’s son with other family members, including two grandchildren, 11 and six, also present.

Police asked for a safe in the hallway to be opened.

There they found:

  • 995 .22 long rifle hollow point bullets;
  • 200 subsonic hollow point bullets;
  • 100 Eley subsonic hollow point bullets;
  • a magazine with three rounds of bullets.

It wasn’t until March 11, though, when Morton attended at Clydebank police office and was detained, making no comment during an interview.

The bullets were examined by ballistics and confirmed a firearms certificate was required for possession of the items, said depute fiscal Sarah Healing.

“He was not a holder of a licence, nor was anyone else,” she said at the previous hearing.

“Mr Morton previously operated the farm as a working farm and did have a licence.”

The licence was in effect from 1991 to 1996 but was for a maximum of 500 rounds.

There was an application for a new licence considered in June 2006 but it was refused “due to concerns from the police about the level of Mr Morton’s alcohol consumption.”

Ms Healing added: “The ammunition was all kept together within a small box in a safe that was locked.”

Defence solicitor Tom Brown said: “They seemed to be there since the 1990s.”

When the case called for sentencing last Tuesday Morton’s defence solicitor said: “I have made it clear [to Morton] this is serious, due to the amount involved.

“I can understand that it would look suspicious but they were found in a safe.

“When the police became involved he took advice immediately from a solicitor and he has co-operated fully in relation to the police investigation.

“Other members of the family became embroiled because they lived there but he (Morton) has taken responsibility. He is a man who made a mistake.”

Sheriff William Gallacher fined Morton a total of £5,000 for the offence, payable at £750 a month