Gunman faces serious charges after confronting dirt bike riders

Case Summary:

After years of inaction by Hunter Valley police a Kurri Kurri man has got into a spot of bother after taking the law into his own hands. The man confronted a group of dirt bike riders that plague the area with their noisy bikes and often ride illegally and dangerously on the roads. The man allegedly intimated the bike riders with a rifle and fired a warning shot into the air. The 40-year-old man is now facing some pretty serious charges and possible jail time. It’s a classic case of two wrongs don’t make a right.

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Offender:

Police arrested a 40-year-old man from Kurri Kurri , after a short manhunt

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Crime and Charges:

• Use unauthorised firearm
• Steal firearm
• Not keep firearm safely-not prohibited firearm/pistol
• Use intimidation/violence to unlawfully influence person
• Fire firearm in or near public place.

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Searches and Property Seized.

• Police attended a nearby residence and located the rifle in a vehicle. It was seized.
• Police also seized 16 other registered firearms and ammunition

Bail and Court Dates:

The man was refused by bail by police and faced Maitland Court today, we are unsure of the outcome of that hearing at the time of publishing.

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Police will allege:

Police will allege in court that the man, armed with a rifle, confronted trail bike riders in nearby bushland before discharging the firearm into the air.

About 12.15pm (Wednesday 30 September 2020), police were called to Lang Street, Kurri Kurri, following reports of shots fired.

Officers from Hunter Valley Police District attended and established a perimeter, assisted by Port Stephens-Hunter Police District.

A large-scale search of the area was conducted with the assistance of PolAir and Operation Utah officers and a 40-year-old man was arrested on Lang Street about 1.40pm.

Maximum Penalty of offenses committed.

Use unauthorised firearm

• Under Section 7A of the Firearms Act, a person must not possess or use a firearm without a licence or permit. The maximum penalty for this offence is imprisonment for five years.

Steal firearm

• It is an offence to use, supply, acquire or possess a stolen firearm or firearm part, or to give possession of a stolen firearm or firearm part to another person: s 51H(1). The maximum penalty is 14 years imprisonment.

not keep firearm safely – non prohibited firearm.

• The maximum penalty for “not keep firearm safely” is a $2,200 fine and/or 12 months’ imprisonment.