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ST. STEPHEN - A North Carolina woman has been fined $1,500 for attempting to smuggle a prohibited weapon into Canada.

Marcie Wilson Anderson, 61, of Vanceboro, N.C., pleaded guilty to failing to declare a loaded .25 calibre Astra pistol to the Canada Border Services Agency when entering the country at Welshpool, Campobello Island, Oct. 12.

Anderson's husband drove the Kia sport utility vehicle, but Mrs. Anderson claimed ownership of the handgun loaded with eight bullets on the console.

Anderson inherited the gun from someone she once cared for, said federal Crown prosecutor Peter Thorn. Anderson forgot she had the gun in the car, duty counsel Randall Wilson told the judge. She felt safer with the gun while driving her mother to and from the hospital at night, the lawyer explained.

"I'm very sorry this happened, and it won't happen again," Anderson said.

Most Canadian citizens would go to jail for carrying a prohibited gun in their car, provincial court Judge David Walker said. He questioned "why if you had it in the car for your protection you would forget that it was there."

Canada and the United States have different attitudes respecting firearms, the judge noted. He decided on a $1,500 fine or 23 days in jail. Anderson promised to pay immediately.