A man who sparked an Armed Offenders Squad (AOS) callout in Waverley on Monday after walking into a clothing store with a rifle says it was a toy gun.
Matthew Ross Phillips initially pleaded guilty yesterday in the Whanganui District Court to unlawfully possessing a firearm, but changed his plea to not guilty after a dispute over whether or not the gun was real.
Phillips told his lawyer Stephanie Burlace he'd thrown the toy on to a fire and melted it, the court heard.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Stephen Butler said an officer had gone to where Phillips said he burned the gun, but "there was rubbish in there and it was wet, and it hadn't been lit for some time".
After the matter was stood down to iron out the details, Phillips told Ms Burlace the toy gun was actually at a friend's house, and he hadn't wanted to get the friend in trouble.