‘Moments away from being killed’: Ex-ADF rifleman faces court after ‘extremely dangerous’ incident

A trained ex-army rifleman from the Moreton Bay region who pointed a loaded weapon at a police officer has faced court.

An ex-army rifleman prepped the trigger with the intention to kill a police officer, a court has heard.

Zak Patrick Styles, 29, of Kallangur north of Brisbane, appeared before the Pine Rivers Magistrates Court on Friday after assaulting a police officer with a weapon at Griffin on February 25.

Styles pleaded guilty to all charges including two counts of dangerous operation of a weapon, one count of possession of a weapon while under the influence of alcohol and one count of serious assault of a police officer.

The court previously heard Styles worked as a rifleman for the Australian Defence Force and served in Malaysia for three months, during which time his mother tragically passed away.

Kallangur man Zak Patrick Styles, 29, appeared before the Pine Rivers Magistrates Court on Friday after assaulting a police officer with a weapon at Griffin on February 25.

According to his lawyer Jane Bruxner, the death sent Styles on a downward spiral that saw him diagnosed with agitated depression and adjustment disorder, separate from his wife, and adjust his working hours down to half days.

These stressors culminated in an alleged incident at his place of residence at Bergamot Circuit on Wednesday, February 25.

According to a spokesman from the Queensland Police Service, officers were called to a welfare check at the home just after 5pm.

When they arrived, they discovered Styles had allegedly positioned a rifle in such a way it was laying on the ground and pointed towards them, “causing alarm”.

Picture of weapons from Kallangur man Zak Patrick Styles social media.

The spokesman said the assault charge was born out of the alleged positioning of the gun rather than any physical altercation.

The police prosecutor told the court Styles “ prepped the trigger and essentially lined him (the officer) up.

The court also heard Styles had other weapons out loaded on the driveway during the incident.

“That is an extremely serious action that he has undertaken and it would be … towards the higher end of the serious assault against a police officer,” the police prosecutor said.

“It’s extremely dangerous, that police officer could have been moments away from being killed had the defendant gone through with his intention or had there been a slip of his finger on the trigger.

“The defendant has come to the realisation of what he was doing and he has thankfully for the police officer stopped his action.”

Kallangur man Zak Patrick Styles, 29, appeared before the Pine Rivers Magistrates Court on Friday after assaulting a police officer with a weapon at Griffin on February 25.

Ms Bruxner told the court her client was heavily intoxicated at the time of the alleged incident.

The court heard Styles had since been medically discharged from the army, receiving a pension until he can get on his feet.

“He is really piecing together his life after this incident,” Ms Bruxner said.

Styles was supported in court by his father, sister and church chaplain.

Acting Magistrate Patrick Murphy said it was a difficult case to pass sentence on.

“The facts are quite serious and there needs to be a message to reflect the seriousness of it, on the other hand he needs rehabilitation,” he said.

Styles was given a sentence of 12 months imprisonment for the serious assault charge.

The sentence was wholly suspended for two years.

He was also placed on a probation order for 18 months.

A conviction was recorded.