James Leon De-Lisle: Man pleads guilty to going armed so as to cause fear
A Western Downs man who was banned from his local supermarket was spotted walking around with what appeared to be a black handgun, causing panic and fear.
Police & Courts
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A Tara man who was banned from FoodWorks faced court after he walked around town with what appeared to be a loaded handgun.
James Leon De-Lisle faced Dalby Magistrates Court on March 30, charged with going armed so as to cause fear and unauthorised take away of shop goods.
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The court heard the most serious offence occurred on September 2, 2020, when Tara police received information about a man walking around with a weapon.
Police prosecutor sergeant Chris Hutchens said about 12pm De-Lisle attended the Tara BP, where two witnesses observed the defendant in the shop with what appeared to be a black handgun in his hand.
The court heard police were notified about the handgun by one of the staff members as they feared for their lives.
A short time later, another witness spotted De-Lisle walking along Fry St with the handgun in his hand, who also informed police.
About 12.30pm, police found De-Lisle in public with the “handgun” and activated their lights, prompting the defendant to drop the weapon.
Sergeant Hutchens said it was then observed to be a plastic gel blaster.
After speaking to police, De-Lisle informed them the gun was a “toy”, and had left home in the morning with it in his pocket.
Sergeant Hutchens made it clear to the court De-Lisle wasn’t brandishing the gel blaster in a threatening way when he was at the service station.
“There were no threats, and he never said anything to anyone,” he said.
“He was carrying a toy around … he probably didn’t realise the alarm it was going to cause.”
The court heard the unauthorised take away of shop goods related to an incident at Tara FoodWorks on September 18, where De-Lisle took plush toys and didn’t pay for them.
Defence solicitor Jessica Hine said the 29-year-old father admitted it was “stupid behaviour”.
Ms Hine said the defendant had been banned from FoodWorks in Tara following the incident, which had forced him and his family to drive to Dalby to shop.
Magistrate Tracy Mossop told De-Lisle that the two offences before her were related to “stupidity”, and asked him to be sensible.
De-Lisle pleaded guilty and was fined $100 for the unauthorised take away goods offence.
For going armed to cause fear he was fined $800.
Convictions were recorded.
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Originally published as James Leon De-Lisle: Man pleads guilty to going armed so as to cause fear
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