A 24-year-old man who reportedly shot himself while playing with his home-made gun, but told the police he was shot by someone else, was given a suspended sentence when he appeared in the Western Regional Gun Court on Wednesday.

The courts heard that Alrick Barrett of Cacoon in Hanover, turned up at hospital on March 15 with a gunshot wound to his leg.

He then reportedly told the police that he was shot by a man he said was known as 'Kew', with whom he claimed he had an altercation.

The courts further heard that as the police continued their investigations it was found that he had shot himself with his own home-made gun.

The illegal weapon was reportedly found and Barrett was subsequently charged with illegal possession of a firearm and creating public mischief.

He was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for 18 months.