Zac James Thorp-Millard stands trial charged with Mount Gambier drive-by shootings

A man allegedly fired a shotgun at a Mount Gambier home while children were sleeping before returning and attempting to shoot a man at close range, a court has heard.

Escalating hostility and “bad blood” between two Mount Gambier men allegedly led to two drive-by shootings, a court has heard.

Zac James Thorp-Millard is standing trial in the Mount Gambier District Court after pleading not guilty to aggravated endangering life and two counts of discharge a firearm to injure, annoy or frighten.

The prosecution allege he drove a red SS Holden Commodore to a Olinda Court home, firing three shots into the back of a black Ford Territory while the residents – a man and a woman – and their extended family including children were asleep at 5.30am on February 23, 2020.

Zac James Thorp-Millard is standing trial in the Mount Gambier District Court after pleading not guilty to aggravated endangering life and two counts of discharge a firearm to injure, annoy or frighten. Picture: Tait Schmaal

On Wednesday the court heard neighbours woke to gunshots with one witnessing a red car at the address.

“A 9mm projectile went into the rear tailgate, the rear windscreen was smashed and the paint on the rear tailgate was damaged by what appeared to be shotgun pellets,” a prosecutor said.

Thorp-Millard returned to the home at around 11.30am on February 24, pulling up next to the property where the couple were in the front yard, the court heard.

The prosecutor alleged the male victim was within a few meters when the accused stuck his arm out of the window, pointed a handgun at him and fired around three shots before driving away.

“The accused knew his conduct was likely to put (the man’s) life in danger and he continued the shooting anyway,” the prosecutor said.

No one was injured in either shooting.

The prosecutor detailed two occasions where the men had abused each other on social media, leading to physical or verbal alterations earlier in the month.

He said these previous incidents rebutted the suggestion someone other than the accused committed the offences.

“The hostility between the accused and (the man), which had been escalated for some time, led to the accused committing the drive-by shooting,” he said.

“They were not on good terms, they had been verbally abusing, threatening each other in a week or so leading up to the shooting incidents.”

Thorp-Millard was arrested on February 25, 2020, police located no firearms during the investigation but discovered CCTV footage which prosecution alleged proves he was the driver of the vehicle.

The trial continues at the Mount Gambier District Court.