Road rage retiree Michael William Wall sentenced for pointed imitation gun, threatened to blow out victim’s brain

An unsuccessful shopping trip caused a frustrated retiree to threaten a stranger with a starter pistol during a road-rage incident – and now he’s been sentenced.

A retiree who told another motorist he would “blow his brains out” while aiming an imitation firearm at him during a road-rage incident has avoided an immediate jail term.

Michael William Wall, 78, of Woodcroft, was agitated and frustrated after an “unsuccessful shopping episode” when he pointed a starter pistol at another motorist, the District Court heard on Thursday.

During sentencing, Judge Adam Kimber said Wall was driving alongside the victim on Beach Rd, Morphett Vale, in January this year when their cars made contact as the two lanes merged into one.

About 600m further along the road, Wall stopped next to the victim at a set of lights.

“You wound down your window, called the victim a prick and said you would blow his brains out,” Judge Kimber said.

“When doing so, you held up what the victim thought was a revolver. It was a starter’s pistol.”

The victim alerted police, who went to Wall’s home, where he lied about what happened, telling police he had only held up and pointed his phone.

Michael William Wall arrives at the District Court ahead of sentencing. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

A search of Wall’s home uncovered incorrectly stored firearms including a bolt action rifle stored with ammunition and a rifle with a silencer attached under his bed. Also in his bedroom were seven live rounds of ammunition.

Wall pleaded guilty to aggravated threatening to cause harm and a number of weapons charges at an earlier hearing.

Judge Kimber said Wall had a firearms licence for 40 years.

“You say the items in your home were not properly stored because you wanted them for protection and safety,” he said.

FIRST LOOK: A starter pistol & bolt action rifle seized from an elderly driver's home.

He'd just used the fake gun in a road rage attack after feeling frustrated by an "unsuccessful" shopping trip.

All the pics at 6 @9NewsAdelpic.twitter.com/aw8mWQvnkG

— Tom Angley (@TomAngley9) November 25, 2021

“As the holder of a firearms licence, you should have known better.”

Judge Kimber said he was sceptical about Wall’s explanation that he could not recall the sound moderator becoming attached to the gun.

He said Wall explained he had the starter pistol because he had given it to his late wife for safety, and because he was the victim of an earlier road-rage incident.

The court previously heard his “impulsive conduct” had left his victim feeling “threatened and intimidated”, even though he suffered no physical harm.

Judge Kimber said Wall had an impoverished childhood before moving to Australia more than 50 years ago. He said his positive contribution to society, guilty pleas, remorse and lack of prior convictions meant his prospects of rehabilitation were “extremely positive”.

Judge Kimber suspended a prison term of two years and eight months in favour of a two-year good behaviour bond. Wall was also fined $750.