Fake gun in shops terror

Victim terrified, man jailed

A VICTIM was left terrified and “frozen in fear” after a Norlane man loaded, pointed and pulled the trigger of a fake firearm, a court has heard.

Timothy Stainthorpe, 38, was yesterday sentenced to a total of 17 months in prison with a non-parole period of six months on eight charges including possessing a prohibited weapon, unlawful assault and theft.

The Geelong Magistrates’ Court heard Stainthorpe was drug affected and armed with an imitation firearm when he went to Newcomb shopping centre on May 1.

Prosecutor Sergeant Peter Beard the gun was “semiautomatic in its appearance” and the accused had been “smoking synthetic cannabis”.

“A passer-by observed the accused, who sat up, and she saw the firearm held in his hand — she assumed the firearm was operating and was in great fear and apprehension,” Sgt Beard said.

“She provided a statement to police that her heart was racing as she observed the accused play with the trigger of the firearm.”

Sgt Beard said police received eight calls from the public and one business owner — who was unaware of the weapon — went over to check on Stainthorpe’s welfare.

“He asked if the accused was OK, Mr Stainthorpe then sat and said to the victim, ‘I’m OK, I’m just about to load this gun if you want to watch’,” he said.

“He then pulled out the imitation firearm concealed in his trousers, loaded the firearm with the attached fake bullet magazine, cocked it and pointed it at the victim. He then pulled the trigger.”

Sgt Beard said the victim had no idea the firearm was not real and she “froze in fear and fled back to an adjacent business”.

He said Stainthorpe woke up in police custody and had no recollection of the incident.

The court heard the Norlane man had suffered severe trauma after losing two of his former partners and had an acquired a brain injury in a car accident.

It was also heard he had been addicted to drugs from a young age and had been exposed to alcohol from the age of four.

In sentencing, Magistrate Ann McGarvie said she understood he had suffered trauma but his crime was too serious not to warrant a jail term.

“Imagine the terror the person felt when you loaded a fake gun, cocked it, pointed it at them and pulled the trigger. She would have been absolutely terrified,” Ms McGarvie said.

“For that to occur in an average suburb of Geelong is extremely concerning.”