Retired concreter loses Ned Kelly armour guns after collateral police raid
Douglas Priest, 64, had his firearms seized and destroyed. Police raided his Kangaroo Flat property. They were looking for someone else.
Police searched Douglas Priest's Kangaroo Flat home on December 11, 2025, while looking for another person suspected of illegal firearms. Police took two guns from Priest.
One was a bolt-action .22 rifle hanging on the wall. The other was an imitation firearm next to his homemade Ned Kelly armour in the shed.
Priest admitted to possessing an imitation firearm and possessing a long arm. The Bendigo Magistrates Court said the guns were not actually fireable.
Priest was not a prohibited person. Magistrate Trieu Huynh convicted and discharged Priest.
Both guns were ordered destroyed. His lawyer told the court Priest made quite good replica pieces in retirement, including the Kelly armour.
- 64
- Age
- December 11, 2025
- Raid date
- Kangaroo Flat
- Location
- September 11
- Court decision date
Why it mattersThe case shows how taking guns during police raids can affect innocent bystanders. This happens even when the weapons pose no real risk.
AustraliaA Bendigo resident's hobby collection and historical tribute were destroyed without direct cause; the case underscores the consequences of firearm storage in shared properties.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 8 d ago
