The Border Mail
WODONGA, Australia — A former youth who pointed an imitation pistol at an off-duty police officer and his two children yesterday received a seven-month suspended control order without conviction.
Magistrate Tony Murray said in Albury Children’s Court the youth put the officer and his two children, aged 11 and 7, in considerable fear during an incident at an Albury intersection.
“If you appeared in the adult court, not withstanding you have no criminal record, you would be going to jail,” Mr Murray said.
He said the youth had been a regular user of cannabis and other drugs, but has turned his life around.
Solicitor Tim Hemsley said the youth had been “living rough” when the incident happened.
He has since moved back to the Mornington Peninsula area, is living with his mother and brother and has a job.
The youth, who does not have a firearm’s licence in any state, appeared for sentence on charges of assault, possessing an unregistered pistol and possessing an unauthorised prohibited firearm.
The victim was a Wodonga police officer who had his children in his car on August 11.
The youth had bought a snub nose revolver cap gun at Yarrawonga the previous day and removed the orange tip as soon as he left the shop.
He put a piece of aluminium inside the barrel to make it louder when it was fired.
He was in the front passenger seat of a Commodore sedan that was driving up and down Dean Street in Albury and fired randomly in the street.
The vehicle turned into David Street and went to the Guinea Street intersection where the officer was waiting to make a right turn in his car.
There was a vacant lane between the two vehicles and the youth leant across the driver and pointed the gun towards the officer and his children.
When the gun fired, it caused a lot of smoke and the officer was fearful that it was a real firearm.
The officer took the registration details of the vehicle.
Copyright 2012 Fairfax Media Publications Pty Ltd.