The army had to be called in when workmen found a cache of weapons at a lottery winner's house.
Ordnance experts had to make sure the Prestatyn home of David Moore was safe because of an initial fears the door to the attic might have been booby trapped, a court heard today.
The guns were found at Moore's home in Russell Drive, by people doing work on the property .
"Multiple firearms, parts and ammunition" were discovered, Judge Timothy Petts told him as he sentenced him at Mold crown court today.
Prosecutor David Martin said a drainage company had been sent to Moore's home because of a leak and when a workman went under the wood joists of the house he found an 1858 revolver in a bag and several boxes of ammunition.
Moore had denied any involvement with that weapon and that was not pursued in view of his guilty pleas to the other weapons in the attic.
The employee went to the attic where he believed the door was booby trapped – rigged to trigger a shot gun cartridge in the event of it being lifted. He slide the door open.
Mr Mainstone said the army made the place safe before police could investigate and as a result the evidence was not intact to establish whether the workman’s view had been correct.
But in the loft were a large number of different firearms including the weapons that were the subject of the charges. There were revolvers and rifles some of which dated back to 1853.
There were a number of components and items used to make ammunition in the loft and in the garden shed.
Interviewed, Moore, 58, said he was a collector of antique weapons and stored them in the loft.
He denied that there was any booby trap and said he had bird scarers which were boxed up and were of no harm to anybody.
The booby trap allegation was not being pursued, the court heard today.
Moore's defence barrister said the weapons were regarded by him as antiques and he planned to clean them up and display them, although he had had them for around 20 years.
He accepted that they were in fact firearms which needed certificates which he did not have.
He pleaded guilty to nine such offences and received a two-year prison sentence suspended for 21 months, in what was described as an unusual case.
The weapons, ammunition and component parts recovered in December 2016 were confiscated.
Judge Petts told Moore: "They were all genuine. For the most part they were old but still potentially lethal in the wrong hands."
But it was accepted that Moore had not used them, had no intention of using them and he had stored them for many years.
They had even moved house with him when he moved from The Midlands to North Wales.
He was a man of no previous convictions who indicated that they were simply his collection.
Moore had pleaded guilty, suffered ill-health both physical and mental, and his wife suffered serious illness which necessitated weekly treatment in Birmingham.
Defending barrister Richard Edwards said that the case did pass the custody threshold but he asked for a suspended sentence in view of the unique personal circumstances of the defendant and his wife. They were effectively carers for eachother.
The Moore suffered ill-health and his wife was seriously ill and required on-going treatment.
In 2012, he had been assaulted and suffered a head injury which had required three months rehabilitation.
It had affected his memory and his character had changed – he had become introvert and did not want to go out.
While the collection included a prohibited firearm, there was no ammunition for it, and his interest in them were for their appearance and craftsmanship.
Mr Edwards said that he had intended to clean them up and display them but in the meantime were wrapped up in the loft.
He told the court Moore had been fortunate enough to win some money on The Lottery some years ago which allowed him to pay off his mortgage. But he was now on a limited income.
A six month tag was imposed so he would have to stay indoors between 7pm and 7am, Saturday to Thursday, so that he could accompany his wife for her treatments on Fridays.
Judge Petts said Moore did not pose a risk of danger to the public, and there was strong personal mitigation.
He clearly knew that he required certificates for the multiple firearms which he kept over many years, but it was unlikely that the courts would ever see him again.
