A Canberra man accused of firing a homemade shotgun at a drug dealer during a robbery has been denied bail after prosecutors claimed he attempted to interfere with evidence while behind bars.
Court rejects freedom bid
Bradley John Wilson, 25, faced the ACT Supreme Court on Thursday, November 13, where his application for conditional release was refused by Justice David Mossop.
The 25-year-old has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges including discharging a firearm, two counts of aggravated robbery by joint commission, and two counts of joint commission assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Alleged shooting in North Lyneham
Court documents reveal Wilson had only been released from jail for previous offences on March 21 when he allegedly arranged for a drug dealer to visit a North Lyneham residence.
Prosecutor Erin Priestly told the court that when the alleged victim arrived, Wilson threatened him with a homemade shotgun and demanded drugs and money.
While Wilson admits to shooting the weapon at the man and causing minor injuries, his lawyer Hassan Ameen from the Aboriginal Legal Service claimed the incident "occurred in different circumstances" than alleged.
Jailhouse evidence interference claims
Ms Priestly opposed bail, telling the court that Wilson had "engaged in conduct that was a blatant attempt to interfere with evidence" while remanded at the Alexander Maconochie Centre.
Justice Mossop elaborated that this involved Wilson making phone calls from prison, asking another person to retrieve firearms from where they were hidden.
The prosecutor expressed serious concerns about public safety, stating that "the nature of homemade firearms is that they are not manufactured in a safe way" and that firing the weapon "posed a high risk to the safety of the complainant".
Rehabilitation bid fails
Mr Ameen had applied for Wilson's release to attend a residential rehabilitation program in Nowra, with the defendant's father offering a $500 surety and transportation to the facility.
Despite these offers, Justice Mossop determined the risks were too significant and denied bail. The case will return to court at a later date for further proceedings.
Wilson remains in custody as he awaits his next court appearance, with the allegations of evidence tampering from prison weighing heavily against his release application.
