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| TV man denies banned gun charges | |
| (8 minutes later) | |
| A film-maker and author accused of possessing illegal weapons had a home "festooned" with swords and fake guns, the Old Bailey has heard. | A film-maker and author accused of possessing illegal weapons had a home "festooned" with swords and fake guns, the Old Bailey has heard. |
| Dave Courtney was charged by police after assessors visited his Castle Camelot-themed home in south-east London when he was declared bankrupt. | Dave Courtney was charged by police after assessors visited his Castle Camelot-themed home in south-east London when he was declared bankrupt. |
| They called police, who allegedly found three banned weapons - a blank-firing revolver and gas cartridge firing guns. | They called police, who allegedly found three banned weapons - a blank-firing revolver and gas cartridge firing guns. |
| Mr Courtney, 50, of Plumstead, denies all three offences. | Mr Courtney, 50, of Plumstead, denies all three offences. |
| He told the court that the three weapons found, including one sprayed gold for a James-Bond theme, were part of the stock for his wife's theatre props company. | He told the court that the three weapons found, including one sprayed gold for a James-Bond theme, were part of the stock for his wife's theatre props company. |
| 'Collection of weapons' | |
| He said that neither of them had realised the two air-cartridge pistols and one blank-firing revolver were prohibited weapons. | He said that neither of them had realised the two air-cartridge pistols and one blank-firing revolver were prohibited weapons. |
| When asked who owned the guns, Mr Courtney told the court: "My wife does. She owns a lot more guns. They are all hers." | When asked who owned the guns, Mr Courtney told the court: "My wife does. She owns a lot more guns. They are all hers." |
| Paul Cavin, prosecuting, said of the "extraordinary" property: "It is fair to state that there is more than a little element of castles and King Arthur. | Paul Cavin, prosecuting, said of the "extraordinary" property: "It is fair to state that there is more than a little element of castles and King Arthur. |
| "Festooned around the house and walls in various rooms are a collection of weapons." | "Festooned around the house and walls in various rooms are a collection of weapons." |
| The police keep arresting me for things but I am no longer a naughty man Dave Courtney | The police keep arresting me for things but I am no longer a naughty man Dave Courtney |
| "The Crown does not say this was the Plumstead equivalent of the Woolwich Arsenal, but the law says you cannot have them in your possession," Mr Cavin said. | "The Crown does not say this was the Plumstead equivalent of the Woolwich Arsenal, but the law says you cannot have them in your possession," Mr Cavin said. |
| The former presenter blamed the police for his bankruptcy earlier this year, claiming his arrests had damaged his celebrity status. | The former presenter blamed the police for his bankruptcy earlier this year, claiming his arrests had damaged his celebrity status. |
| The Old Bailey was told that it was as a result of the auditors men searching for assets at the property that police were alerted. | The Old Bailey was told that it was as a result of the auditors men searching for assets at the property that police were alerted. |
| The defendant said: "The police keep arresting me for things, but I am no longer a naughty man." | |
| Mr Courtney ran a firm hiring minders to people in the news. | |
| He also produced and starred in his own film, which featured in the Cannes film festival in 2001, and told the court he had written nine books. | |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |