A Blenheim man who sold a gun on Trade Me has been fined for not checking the buyer had a valid gun licence.
Police were alerted to the July 25 sale after the Whanganui man who bought the gun for $400 died suddenly in January.
The court was told that the man shot himself.
The death was referred to Palmerston North coroner Carla na Nagara.
Christopher Michael Murphy, 24, was charged with selling a .22 Marlin rifle to an unlicensed purchaser, to which he pleaded guilty in the Blenheim District Court yesterday.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Steve Frost said Murphy took advice from a friend, who regularly sold guns on the website, about what procedures needed to be taken for a sale to be legal.
Defence counsel Matthew Marshall said ideally sellers of firearms were to see the police for confirmation a gun licence was valid, but said this step was not taken.
He said Murphy had received a photocopied version of the buyer's driver's licence and gun licence, which had been disqualified by the police in May 2008.
Judge Tony Zohrab said Murphy was a responsible citizen, "but failed to take the right steps".
Murphy was convicted and fined $250, court costs of $130 and the destruction of the firearm was ordered.
In February, when Murphy was arrested, Trade Me trust and safety manager Chris Budge said the company had been in talks with police since last year to form an automated verification system for firearms licences on the site.
This did not stem from an incident, but was part of safety improvements, Mr Budge said.
At present, the onus was on the buyer and seller to ensure the recipient had a licence.
Firearms sales were restricted to sport-related firearms, such as .22 calibre guns.
Military-style weapons were not permitted, Mr Budge said. The Marlborough Express
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