IT is a moment that will make anyone hoping to see the cycle of gun violence broken despair for next generation.

A young man proudly cradles a smiling four-month-old baby boy as he plays not with a rattle or a fluffy toy, but a deadly handgun. In another the grinning relative points the gun directly at the camera as he cuddles the child.

Not even old enough to walk or talk, the child is already being steeped in the weapons culture that is threatening to turn parts of Sydney into the wild west.

Kyle Pehi, 24, allegedly posted his trophy photos on his Facebook family album.

But his online boasting also tipped off authorities to one of the many guns they are trying to remove from the streets, and he is now staring down the barrel of a possible jail sentence.

Pehi was arrested on Monday by Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad detectives who raided his home on Garden St, Blacktown, after becoming aware a gun was allegedly on the property.

media_camera Kyle Pehi’s boasting tipped off the authorities

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The recovered weapon was a “James Bond gun” — a silver German Polizei PPK — popularised by the movie series as the gun of choice for the debonair super-spy.

But police believe Pehi is anything but suave or debonair as he allegedly hammed it up for the camera. The photos may now be used as evidence against him.

He has been charged with possessing an unauthorised prohibited firearm and possessing ammunition without holding a license.

Pehi, originally from New Zealand, was refused bail after appearing in Blacktown Local Court and is scheduled to appear in the same court on Monday where the case will be mentioned.

The most frustrating aspect of the matter for police is that more than a dozen users of the social-networking site “liked” and commented on the images, meaning any one of them could have contacted police and alerted them to the presence of the gun in the community.

Not even old enough to walk or talk, the child is already being steeped in the weapons culture that is threatening to turn parts of Sydney into the wild west.

Senior officers from the Police Commissioner down have been publicly pleading for anyone who has any idea about the whereabouts of illegal firearms to contact them, even anonymously.

It is unclear whether a tip-off lead police to Pehi or whether they discovered the existence of the weapon on their own through his associations.

Police privately expressed dismay at the images but declined to comment due to the matter presently being before the courts.

media_camera Pehi, originally from New Zealand, was refused bail after appearing in Blacktown Local Court

Originally published as Man’s selfie with gun and baby