A court has seen CCTV footage of a man wildly shooting up an Oak Flats home with people inside, but the man who fired the gun said he was just doing it to scare the victim.
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Braiden Gill, 28, pleaded guilty in April to firing a firearm with a disregard for safety, possessing an unauthorised prohibited firearm and pistol, possessing ammunition and drug offences.
On Tuesday, in a sentencing hearing, CCTV footage of the night of August 6, 2021 was played to Wollongong District Court.
In the footage, a car can be seen going past an address in Oak Flats, before a shot rings out. The shot is followed by a man's voice yelling, 'You're dead c---".
Gill told the court that he purposely shot at a bedroom window because he could see the man who he wanted to intimidate in the lounge room window where the lights were on.
Gill said the drive-by was in retaliation for the man he shot at coming around to Gill's house, demanding Gill sell him a gun and threatening him and his partner.
"He wanted me to assist him in buying a firearm so he could shoot his ex-wife," Gill said.
Crown Prosecutor Amanda Kerr questioned Gill's version of events, which included that the victim had broken into his home and assaulted him with a bar leaving welts on his back and a black eye, noting that when police questioned Gill five days after the alleged assault took place, no injuries were visible and Gill did not bring up the assault.
"It just didn't happen, did it, [the victim] did not break into your premises," Ms Kerr said.
"Yes he did," Gill replied.
"You are making this up to justify the shooting," Ms Kerr said.
"No, I'm not fabricating it, it did happen," Gill said.
Judge Andrew Haesler asked why Gill decided to retaliate and take the matter into his own hands.
"You didn't think as a good citizen you'd tell police that a man was hunting for a firearm to shoot his ex-wife?" Judge Haesler said.
"It would've created more trouble," Gill replied.
Gill will find out on October 4 how much trouble he is in, after a final decision on sentencing was adjourned for that date.
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