A TEEN has been fined £300 for carrying a firearm in Cowdenbeath.

Grant Lawrie, 19, of Keir Street, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court on Wednesday after responding to a warrant.

He admitted that on September 27, 2017, at Smith Avenue, Cowdenbeath being a public place, he did have with him a firearm, namely a .22 air weapon with ammunition suitable for use in that firearm, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.

Deputy fiscal, Alice Kirk, told Dunfermline Sheriff Court on Wednesday that there had been 10 people around a car and they were seen dispersing by a resident.

Lawrie was soon seen there after seen emerging from an alleyway with a bag that had an air rifle and then entered the car.

After another emerged from an alleyway it was reported to the police and the accused was found with the air rifle and pellets in his possession.

Defence solicitor, Elaine Buist, said her client had moved addresses and had not received correspondence about the charges.

On the date in question she said that he had not been aware of there being a large group of 10 people before he appeared - he had only been with a group of four people.

Ms Kirk moved for a motion that the air riffle be forfeited to the Crown.

Ms Buist said: "He found the air rifle and retrieved it from under his mother's car.

"He did not have any intention of using it, he was just showing it off to his friends.

"He does not know who the air riffle belongs to, so he is not particularly interested if it’s taken by the Crown.

"I think it was a case that a resident was concerned that a large group of people were outside their home and as a result Mr Lawrie was found with the air rifle.

"It was never outside the bag in public."

Lawrie was fined £300 and forfeiture of the air riffle was granted.