"They are toys which are for children aged four to six. They are clearly toys and when the thing pops out it goes about as far away as my learned friend is (about 1m)," Mr Taffs addressed the court.
Regardless, Geels now realised that his actions were in poor taste.
"It was a silly thing he did and he spent two hours in custody at the Greymouth Police Station for his troubles," Mr Taffs said.
"It was a plastic toy and he inadvertently caused alarm and it was deeply stupid."
Prosecutor Ms Thomson disagreed with Mr Taffs' request that Geels should be discharged without conviction.
"It was quite a scary thing to occur. It was real for the people who were there and they could have easily thought an armed robbery was in progress."
Judge Robert Murfitt told Geels he may have thought it was funny, but he agreed it may have been scary to others in store at the time.
"You also yelled and screamed and used abusive language."
Judge Murfitt said while the guns were toys for four-year-olds, "that was the level of maturity you displayed".
"It is important for you to think more carefully about the way you behave, particularly with what is happening in the world at the moment. There have been some outrageous events of random violence and harm."
Judge Murfitt said he accepted there was no malice intended and that it was a prank.
He convicted and fined Geels $100.
- Greymouth Star
