Grandparent of missing Gus Lamont bats away questions after conviction

One of the grandparents of missing four-year-old Gus Lamont batted away questions from journalists as she left court convicted of a firearms charge.

Josie Murray was sentenced in Adelaide Magistrates Court on Friday after admitting a firearms offence that came to light during searches for the boy but was unrelated to his disappearance.

As she left court, she was met with a volley of questions, both about her conviction and the youngster’s disappearance.

As well as being asked for her reaction to the court proceedings, she was also asked about the searches for Gus.

However, Ms Murray remained silent as she walked to a waiting vehicle, batting away a microphone held by one of the waiting reporters and sending the cover flying.

She spoke only as she entered the waiting Toyota ute, saying “sorry” before being driven away.

Earlier, the court was told that Ms Murray had pleaded guilty to possessing a sound moderator – a device better known as a silencer or suppressor.

The item, used to reduce the noise from gunshots, was found in a strong room during a search of the property in the hunt for Gus on January 15.

The 75-year-old was charged in February and pleaded guilty to the charge in writing ahead of Friday’s sentencing.

The court was told Ms Murray had owned the silencer legally for several years but did not inform authorities she had it when the law changed in 2017, requiring permission.

Prosecutor Tania Stevens told the court that Ms Murray had allowed police into the strong room, which was secured by lock and code, where the silencer was found alongside a shotgun that had been modified to fit it.

She said Ms Murray had one previous conviction relating to firearms, dating back to 2009.

In this tragic incident, a trespasser had gained access to the family property and taken two firearms before taking their own life.

The court was told that the person did not take their life with Ms Murray’s weapon, but she was fined $2500 for not properly securing the guns.

“The fact the defendant legally possessed the silencer prior to legislature change does not mitigate against a custodial penalty being applied,” Ms Stevens said.

“The onus was on the defendant to comply with the legislation and she has experienced first hand what can happen when one does not comply with that obligation under the Fire Arms Act and the risk to the community that poses.”

Ms Murray’s lawyer Andy Ey said it had been a “very difficult time” for his client, addressing Gus’s disappearance.

“To address the elephant in the room, this has been an extremely difficult time for her family – her grandson went missing last year,” he said.

“This is a serious matter, but it is not some James Bond movie where a villain or assassin is walking around corners taking out targets with barely the whisper of a gun.”

Magistrate Roderick Jensen, however, stopped short of jailing Ms Murray.

Instead, she was fined $10,500 and disqualified from gun ownership for five years.

“A feature of your offence is you had the silencer kept with a firearm that had been moderated to fit it,” he said.

“By your plea of guilty, you accept it was not lawful for you to have possession of the moderator.

“You have extensive community involvement and your counsel submitted four character references on your behalf.

“While your offending is serious, I do not consider the only appropriate punishment is a custodial sentence.”

Little Gus has been missing from the family cattle station, Oak Park Station, since September 27, 2025.

Police returned to search the remote station for the 11th time last month, but despite spending three days on the ground, no new evidence was found.

Following the latest search efforts, Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke said police had found no evidence that Gus had been abducted.

The charge against Ms Murray followed one of the 11 visits by investigators to the remote property.

However, the charge was not in any way connected to the youngster’s disappearance.