A MAN who was found with two illegal shotguns has appeared in court.

Mark Stephen Verrill was fined at Darlington Magistrates' Court yesterday, after he pleaded guilty to two counts of owning a shotgun without a licence.

The court heard how Verrill, 41, of Stooperdale Avenue, Darlington, had held a licence for two registered shotguns.

However, the licence was revoked after police were called to his house on several occasions following a number of domestic disputes.

Derek Walton, prosecuting, said on March 24 police were alerted to the fact that Verrill possessed more guns, and, after searching his house, found another two shotguns which were not registered and several hundred cartridges.

Graham Hunsley, in mitigation, said his client found the guns in a house he was working on 15 years ago.

They were in appalling condition and not in working order, and had not been used for several years.

Verrill took them from the house and restored them.

Mr Hunsley said: "He spent time and effort renovating them and cleaning them up and putting them in working order.

"He never misused them, he used them on a farm where he had permission to shoot rabbits."

Mr Hunsley said Verrill hoped to regain his shotgun licence and asked magistrates not to make an order for the destruction of the guns, to which the bench agreed.

They fined him a total of £200 and ordered him to pay £60 costs.