An Illawarra driver has confessed to brandishing a fake gun at a Windang caravan park resident after the man spotted him doing a burnout and tried to take down his car's number plate.
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The victim and his partner were inside their van on the evening of March 9 this year when they heard a loud screeching sound and went outside to investigate.
The victim later told police he saw a green coloured VE Holden Commodore, which officers now know was being driven by 39-year-old Matthew Michael Inman, doing a burnout in the carpark of the nearby surf life saving club.
"At this time there was smoke emanating from the rear wheels of the vehicle and the victim could still hear the noise of the tyres screeching.
This continued for about 10 seconds before the vehicle drove towards the victim," police wrote in documents tendered in court.
The victim asked his partner to take down the Commodore's number plates, at the same time as the car pulled up next to him.
Inman pulled out a pistol and racked it while holding it near his chest in a deliberate show of intimidation. He then drove off, pointing the pistol at the victim as he left.
Fearing for his safety, the victim contacted police, who arrived a short time later and began to search the area.
They discovered the Commodore locked and secured near the entrance to the caravan park before finding Inman walking along the foreshore, gun still in his right pocket of his pants.
An examination by police revealed the gun was an imitation of a Beretta APX self-loading pistol.
When searching Inman's car, officers found a five mega-watt laser pointer in the driver's side door. The item is classed as a prohibited weapon under NSW law.
Inman was arrested and taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station where he was charged with weapon and traffic offences.
He was released on bail to report to police daily however a check of the automated bail reporting system on June 30 revealed Inman had missed several days recently.
Officers found Inman sleeping in his car in the early hours of Monday morning and arrested him for breach of bail.
When asked asked why he hadn't been reporting, Inman told them "I was sick for the first two days then I didn't worry about it after that".
Inman was remanded in custody to be sentenced on Tuesday.
