Blasters aimed at women, police

A MAN armed with a gel blaster rifle and high on alcohol and drugs confronted two women on Penguin’s Main Rd before aiming a similar pistol at two police officers.

In the Supreme Court in Burnie on Thursday, Christopher James Harris was convicted of being unlawfully armed in public and two counts of aggravated assault.

In sentencing, Justice Tamara Jago said Harris was seen holding the gel blaster in Penguin in May 2021 before he pulled the slide back and asked two women “what are you sl-ts looking at” before telling them to go.

The women rang police and Harris was found in the driveway of a nearby property.

He told police he was going inside to “get his gun” and emerged with a pistol. It, like the rifle, was a gel blaster which Justice Jago said looked like a real Glock firearm.

The officers took cover behind a car and drew their firearms before Harris was arrested .

“It was only on closer inspection the firearm was determined to be plastic,” she said.

“At the time both officers believed it was real”

The court was told Harris also spat at a police officer and threatened to kill him.

Harris has a significant history of violence, the court was told. He spent four months in jail for the above offences before being bailed

Justice Jago was told Harris now had a job and a genuine desire to stay off drugs.

In sentencing she said gel blasters could cause fear in the community because they looked real and were often misused in criminal endeavours. She sentenced Harris to 16 months in jail, backdated to September 22.