Alleged armed carjacker Michael Paul Forrest, 27, fronts court after Canberra shooting
A man has fronted court after allegedly shooting a woman in the ‘head region’ during an attempted carjacking near Manuka Oval in Canberra.
Canberra Star
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An alleged gunman charged with the daylight shooting of a woman in Canberra’s leafy inner southern suburbs has fronted court on a string of robbery, gun and traffic charges.
Michael Paul Forrest, 27, appeared briefly in the ACT Magistrates Court on Wednesday after being arrested late Tuesday morning, three hours after he allegedly opened fire on a woman, Janine Webster.
Ms Webster, wounded, fled to nearby Manuka Oval where a security guard called an ambulance and treated her with first aid.
The court heard the gun used in the shooting was a .22 rifle.
Ms Webster was taken to Canberra Hospital, where she was treated for a wound in the “head region”, police said on Tuesday.
Forrest is facing nine charges, including discharging a firearm in a public place, discharging a firearm endangering life and attempted aggravated robbery.
Forrest’s legal aid lawyer, Todd Trotter, unsuccessfully applied for a suppression order on the alleged shooter’s name, saying it could be embarrassing to his son, who is at a school nearby the scene.
Mr Trotter said when Forrest had previously been in court, it had caused problems for his mother’s security clearance and that his client might “feel pressure” to plead guilty if his name was not suppressed.
Media outlets opposed the application for the suppression order.
Magistrate Robert Cook said: “I’m not satisfied that I should grant the application to suppress the name”.
Forrest did not apply for bail, was remanded in custody and will return to court on 27 November.