A former property officer for the Queensland Police Service (QPS) has been sentenced to two years in prison — but will be released immediately on parole — for stealing seized guns and ammunition, which were only discovered after he accidentally shot himself in the hand.

Key points: Craig Everett was an administrative property officer with QPS when he stole 42 guns and ammunition

Craig Everett was an administrative property officer with QPS when he stole 42 guns and ammunition He hid them in his roof and was only caught when he accidentally shot himself in the hand

He hid them in his roof and was only caught when he accidentally shot himself in the hand He was sentenced to two years in jail but was granted immediate parole

The District Court in Brisbane heard Craig Robert Everett, 34, had a "passion for collecting guns" when he began pocketing seized weapons from a QPS exhibits facility between 2012 and 2018, while working as an administrative property officer.

Everett pleaded guilty to one count of stealing a quantity of firearms and ammunition as a public service employee.

The court heard the stash of weapons was uncovered when Everett accidentally shot himself in his garage while home alone in March, 2018.

The weapons seized included six pistols, an assault rifle, automatic machine gun barrels, ammunition, capsicum spray, tear gas and flick knives.

Crown prosecutor Ron Swanwick said after retrieving a camouflaged Glock from a ceiling cavity to carry out checks on the weapon, he did not realise it was loaded and shot himself in the hand.

The court heard he quickly returned the gun to the ceiling, but his injury left pools of blood on the garage floor and on the manhole cover.

After administering first aid to himself, Everett called triple-0. Police later searched his home and unearthed 42 items stashed in the roof cavity.

The court heard Everett lied to paramedics and initially blamed the injury on an angle grinder, before later telling police he had dropped a loaded rifle that he owned.

Everett eventually made a full confession.

Judge highlights officer's 'stupidity'

Judge Vicki Loury QC said the risk of weapons falling into the wrong hands was "significant" because he kept them unsecured in his own home, and they were untraceable.

She said the large cache of guns and parts he stole over a five-and-a-half-year period included seven "operable" firearms.

"You said you were planning to build an assault rifle," she said.

"It's not suggested you intended to sell any of the weapons."

She said his injury highlighted his "stupidity" in stealing weapons from the QPS.

"I take into account that you have sustained this injury, which serves as a constant reminder to you of the stupidity of your conduct in stealing these weapons from the Queensland Police Service," Judge Loury said.

She also disqualified him from holding or applying for a weapons license for five years.

Mr Swanwick also told the court "he was in a trusted and sensitive position in the police force" and some of the weapons had been used in crimes, and were ordered to be destroyed.

"There was a potential for them to be recirculated in criminal circles," he said.

'Significant fall from grace'

The court heard Everett had since resigned in what was described as a "significant fall from grace" for the former administration officer, and all the stolen items had been returned.

Everett also lost his career as an army reservist and Judge Loury told him he would "never be in a role again where you have access to firearms".

The court heard Everett claimed there was a "lax attitude" at the exhibits facility "towards processes and procedures" and he was able to steal guns from a bin "effortlessly".

Mr Swanwick told the court Everett explained how an officer was required to check each weapon and serial number before handing it to a property officer for destruction, but this procedure was "seldom followed".

"It was an ordinary practice that weapons were given to a property officer without being cross-checked," Mr Swanwick said.

The court heard that Everett said officers who lodged the weapons had "little interest in the processes" and had competing commitments.

"This afforded [Everett] the opportunity to steal property lodged for disposal … on some occasions he told the officer the item had been destroyed when it had not," Mr Swanwick said.

Defence barrister Frank Martin said, according to a psychiatrist report, his client was not motivated by violence or aggression and was unlikely to re-offend.