Evan John Brook on trial for possession of an illicit sawn-off rifle after allegedly issuing death threats

A Mount Gambier man is facing illicit weapons charges after he allegedly threatened to make his ex-girlfriend watch him slit her granddaughter’s throat, a court has heard.

After allegedly threatening to kill his former partner, a Mount Gambier man is standing trial for allegedly possessing an illegal firearm, a court has heard.

Evan John Brook, 44, allegedly expressed increasingly worrying threats about his former partner, including threatening to slit the woman’s granddaughter’s throat, the court heard.

In her opening address, prosecutor Sophie Taylor said Mr Brook’s roommate Stephen Knill had stashed the gun before confiding to Mr Brook’s ex-girlfriend that he heard Mr Brook make serious alleged threats towards her..

The woman then contacted police — leading to a search of the Mount Gambier property.

Mr Brook is not charged in relation to the alleged threats and has pleaded not guilty to possessing a firearm without a licence.

Police say they have discovered an illicit firearm at Mount Gambier man Evan John Brook home after his former partner came to them alleging he had made death threats against her. Picture: Arj Ganesan

During a search conducted on August 5, 2020, police officers found the sawn-off rifle in Mr Knill’s room, inside a fuse box he had installed — with 33 rounds of ammunition found in a safe in the shed.

Mr Knill told the Mount Gambier District Court he initially stashed the gun in a hidden alcove in an abandoned building at the Oatmill Cinema complex.

However, he moved the gun to a storage box in his room after he became concerned about someone stumbling across the weapon.

Police checks revealed the gun was missing its firing bolt, which was located in the alcove on August 6.

The court heard Mr Brook told his roommate about the sawn-off rifle, as he was worried he would use it on his ex-girlfriend.

“He started off by saying he felt like slitting (his ex’s) granddaughter’s throat and making her watch — then he mentioned that he had a firearm in the safe in the shed,” Mr Knill said.

“He didn’t feel safe holding onto it anymore because of the fact that he felt tempted to use it.”

Though Evan John Brook is alleged to have threatened to make his ex-girlfriend watch him slit her granddaughter’s throat, he is only standing trial over alleged possession of an illicit firearm. Picture: Arj Ganesan

Mr Knill, a former methamphetamine addict, was in a downward spiral of depression and expressed suicidal ideation, the court heard.

Acting for Mr Brook, Brittany Armstrong asserted to the court the gun was Mr Knill’s, who had acquired it in order to end his own life.

“Being in your words inherently unstable at the time led you to obtain the firearm,” she said.

Ms Armstrong also asserted Mr Knill was jealous of Mr Brook’s new partner, whom he told police he had a “crush” on.

Mr Knill was grilled over why he did not hand the weapon into police himself — if he did believe Mr Brook intended to use the weapon on his ex-girlfriend.

“You could have just taken (the firearm) straight to police,” Ms Armstrong said.

During the heated cross examination, Mr Knill denied he had a crush on the woman, telling the court he poorly characterised his fondness for her and now identifies as gay.

The judge alone trial continues.