Kyle Sandilands has been denied a gun owner’s licence as police point to his connections to convicted drug traffickers and the radio host’s wild on-air antics as evidence he is not a ‘fit and proper person’ to own a firearm.
The 50-year-old broadcaster will take the NSW Police Commissioner to a tribunal to fight the decision, which hampered his plans to shoot competitively.
Sandilands already owns a handgun licence which permits him to operate guns under supervision at a pistol club in Sydney’s southwest.
However, the notorious shock jock wants to take his passion for firearms to the next level by buying a pistol and a rifle – but has been blocked by police.
Kyle Sandilands (pictured at a gun range in LA with Karl Stefanovic in 2020) has been denied a gun licence as police tally a list of reasons against the host owning firearms
Authorities are concerned by the Sandiland’s (left) friendship with convicted drug trafficker Simon Main (second from left) who spent four years in an Italian prison
Authorities claim they are concerned by the Sandiland’s friendship with convicted drug trafficker Simon Main, who spent four years in an Italian prison.
Main attempted to shift 333,000 ecstasy pills worth about $10 million in 2000, considered the world’s largest bust of the illicit drug at the time.
Sandilands is also a close personal friend of Kings Cross identity John Ibrahim and his model girlfriend Sarah Budge.
Mr Ibrahim rose to become one of the most powerful figures in the nightclub scene by the age of 26 and his life is set to be turned into a ‘Sopranos- style’ TV series chronicling his business conquests.
In 2018, he was served with a firearms prohibition order after police searched his Dover Heights home.
The search warrants also included the Double Bay apartment of Ms Budge – where police found a 9mm Glock 26 pistol.
Sandilands (left) is also a close personal friend of Kings Cross identity John Ibrahim (right) and his model girlfriend Sarah Budge
The notorious shock jock (pictured) wants to take his passion for firearms to the next level by purchasing a pistol and a rifle but has been blocked by police
After a lengthy court battle, Ms Budge was acquitted of possessing the unlicensed pistol and found not guilty of two other firearm possession charges.
The model launched Crane Bar in Sydney’s Kings Cross in May 2013, which was known for its Japanese fusion food, cocktails, and music.
Earlier this year, she announced her business would not reopen after being shut down in the pandemic, which has hit Australia’s hospitality sector hard.
Mr Ibrahim was not linked to the gun charge or any offences committed by his relatives which led to the raids.
These days he manages real estate investments in Darlinghurst and the inner-city, having left the nightclub industry when Sydney’s lockout laws were introduced.
Mr Ibrahim is often spotted spending time with Sandilands, who speaks highly of their friendship on The Kyle and Jackie O Show he hosts with Jackie Henderson.
Ms Budge, Mr Ibrahim, and Mr Main were all pictured at the 35th birthday bash of the radio juggernaut’s girlfriend Tegan Kynaston in December of last year.
Ms Budge (right), Mr Ibrahim (left) and Mr Main were all pictured at the 35th birthday bash of the radio juggernaut’s girlfriend Tegan Kynaston (centre) in December 2020
In 2018, Mr Ibrahim (pictured with his model partner Sarah Budge) was served with a firearms prohibition order after police searched his Dover Heights home
Mr Ibrahim is often spotted spending time with Sandilands, who speaks highly of their friendship on The Kyle and Jackie O Show he hosts with Jackie Henderson (right)
The pair have been dating since January 2020, with Ms Kynaston previously working as Sandilands’ assistant and now the communications director of King Kyle.
The couple are hoping to welcome their first child together.
A close friend of the radio host told The Australian that his sometimes chaotic on-air antics was also used as justification for why he could not be trusted with a firearm.
They said shooting was Sandiland’s only hobby, adding pre-conceived ideas of how the host might handle a gun was ‘quite the opposite’.
Police must determine if an individual applying for a gun permit is a ‘fit and proper’ person through a gruelling process including multiple background checks.
Applicants may be refused if they have a history of mental health problems, domestic violence charges, or are associated with any criminal intelligence.
A close friend of the radio host (pictured) told The Australian that his sometimes chaotic on-air antics was evidence as to why he could not be trusted with a firearm
Sandilands, who reportedly earns $5million a year hosting KIIS FM’s Kyle And Jackie O Show, entered the business world in 2012 after he founded an investment company called King Kyle
A person seeking to own a gun can also be rejected if it is not in the ‘public interest’ for them to acquire one or if they could be a ‘danger to public safety or the peace’.
The matter will be mentioned at the Civil and Administrative Tribunal later this month on December 21.
Sandilands, who reportedly earns $5 million a year hosting KIIS FM’s Kyle And Jackie O Show, entered the business world in 2012 after he founded an investment company called King Kyle.
The company, which Sandilands says is now worth about $100 million, has also recently expanded into content creation and music production.
His latest venture is TapJar, an app that makes it easy for customers to tip staff without the need for cash.
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