A High Court judge has urged people fascinated with firearms to pursue lawful careers in the security forces rather than engage in illegal activity.

During the sentencing hearing of a St Michael man convicted of illegally having a firearm and ammunition, Justice Christopher Birch stressed that there appeared to be a “morbid and often fatal fascination of our people with firearms”.

He said: “If you are so fascinated with carrying a weapon, join the entities that lawfully are permitted to do so. Young people of ambition and sense, if they have this desire to carry a firearm are free to join the Barbados Police Service or Barbados Defence Force instead of wandering around at all hours making nuisances of themselves, and turning themselves into killers and their victims into the deceased.”