Stefan Jozef Duncan Gawlik shot up Westbourne Park house ‘on a whim’ because his girlfriend smoked a cigarette with resident

Stefan Gawlik found a gun and shot at a house nine times after finding out his girlfriend had been smoking with someone inside.

Police at the scene of the shooting at Westbourne Park, July 14 2017. Picture: AAP / Keryn Stevens

A “controlling” boyfriend fired nine bullets into a house in a “most extreme over-reaction” because the resident had offered his girlfriend a cigarette, a court has heard.

Stefan Jozee Duncan Gawlik, 27, of Torrens Park found a gun and shot up a Westbourne Park house at point blank range in July 2017 within two hours of discovering the victim and his girlfriend had been smoking together.

He previously pleaded guilty in the District Court to one count of discharging a firearm intending to injure, frighten or annoy over the Angas Rd incident.

Prosecutor Will Martin told the court text messages demonstrated Gawlik was a “controlling” boyfriend who disapproved of his girlfriend’s smoking habit.

“It demonstrates that he can effectively fly off the handle at the smallest thing,” Mr Martin said.

“In many ways that should be frightening.

“It took a cigarette with his girlfriend … that was all it took to instigate this most extreme over-reaction. That should be a real cause of concern.”

Gawlik fired nine shots at the house. Picture: AAP / Keryn Stevens

Mr Martin said Gawlik took just two few hours to source a gun — which remains missing — and conduct the shooting after discovering his girlfriend had smoked.

“He did that on a whim … it took two hours to source a firearm and then go to the house, go right up to the house and be prepared to use it, not once but nine times,” he said.

Mr Martin said a psychiatric report indicated Gawlik had “poor insight” into his offending and was in denial about being controlling in relationships.

The court has previously heard the victim had seen a masked, gloved man standing on his lawn with a pistol. It had heard none of the bullets penetrated the reinforced glass windows of the home.

Andrew Moffa, for Gawlik, asked the court consider imposing a sentence which would lead to his client’s immediate release.

He said Gawlik had been in custody since he was arrested on August 10, 2017 — more than 22 months. He said his client could spend another 18 months behind bars to complete a violence prevention program if a head sentence longer than the time he had already served was imposed.

He said contrary to prosecution submissions, Gawlik had shown insight and remorse and was a young man without a criminal history.

Mr Moffa said his client had “returned” the missing firearm in a “short space of time” after the incident and did not know its whereabouts.

Judge Paul Cuthbertston will sentence Gawlik next week.