Silus Boyes in Coffs Harbour District Court following firearm, drug charges

A man charged with possessing and manufacturing cocaine and meth after an alleged shotgun shootout in Kalang has spoken of his troubled past and how time in custody has changed him.

A man charged with commercial drug charges after a shootout in Kalang has appeared in Coffs Harbour District Court, having spent two years remanded in custody.

The court heard Silus Boyes, 44, and his co-accused attended a property after receiving a phone call claiming a woman was being abused by her partner.

Facts state his car broke down, forcing Boyes to walk, which is when Boyes heard gunfire and entered the property and discharged a firearm in September 2020.

He was charged with a number of offences including: supply cannabis (commercial quantity), supply prohibited drug, fire firearm manner likely injure persons, manufacture prohibited drug, supply prohibited drug, possess precursor intend to use in manufacture, supply cannabis, and goods suspected stolen.

He pleaded guilty to all charges except the commercial quantity charge of 250g of cocaine.

Although Boyes pleaded guilty to the weapons charge, he denied bringing the long-barrel shotgun to the property.

“I didn’t read the facts properly,” Boyes told the court when questioned.

Judge Jonathan Priestley questioned how Boyes found the shotgun he eventually fired from inside the property.

“You’re asking me to believe something that is absent from the facts,” Mr Priestley said.

Nambucca Valley man Silus Boyes on trial for drug and firearm charges.

Boyes told the court he was 27 when his brother committed suicide, and in 2018, he lost his son after birth issues.

He also said he suffered from physical and sexual abuse as a child and was addicted to alcohol and drugs by age 14.

Mr Priestley stated there was evidence of PTSD but “no causal connection to sex abuse”.

Police facts state his charges include manufacturing meth, cocaine and a connection to MDMA manufacture charges through his co-accused, Edward Williams.

Public prosecutor Ms Swift said Boyes should be sentenced based on the signed facts.

“If his honour was to find Boyes in favour of not carrying the gun to the property, I would be seeking to call a witness to provide evidence,” she said.

She said he was engaged with significant drug dealing, and expressed concerns about his plan if he was released from custody.

“The firearm offence is a serious example, there was preparation into the conflict that occurred,” she said.

She told the court there was “little distinction” between firing a gun he brought and one which he found, given it was aimed with an intent to injure.

“He fired it at somebody, he had a plan to engage in a firefight,” she said.

Boyes said his time spent remanded in custody for the past two years – where he claims he was assaulted and ended up in protection – gave him time to think.

“I’m drug free, it’s the best I’ve been in a long time,” Boyes said.

Silus Boyes appeared at Coffs Harbour District Court.

He told the court he had previously blocked out trauma with drugs and alcohol.

“I want to change these things, move forward and be a parent and member of society,” he said.

When asked by Ms Swift if he recognised the harm inflicted to the community, Boyes conceded he should’ve received help earlier.

“With all the drugs I was doing, I wasn’t in touch with reality,” Boyes said.

Boyes’ lawyer Mr Segal said his client was on a path to recovery and wanted to turn his life around, having undertaken several TAFE qualifications in jail.

The court heard Boyes had spent 132 days in lockdown due to Covid in prison.

Mr Priestley asked Boyes to consider the “devastating” impact meth had on the community.

Boyes replied: “It destroys people’s lives and communities and I played a part and feel responsible,” he said.

Mr Segal said Boyes was trying hard, despite two years in protected custody following an attack involving a tuna can in his first few days in jail.

“He’s not been part of (the) prison community but that still hasn’t swayed his decision to try turn his life around,” Mr Segal said.

If released, Boyes said he would do everything in his power to be a “good, honest” man.

“I’d do my best to be there for my family – they need me. I’ve been out of their life for two years with nothing but time to think about how it’s affected them,” he said.

Boyes will appear in Coffs Harbour District Court on Thursday, August 25, for judgment.