Kanwal: Shane Johnson, 46, sentenced over Oasis Caravan Park double shooting

A man has been sentenced for “excessive” self defence when he shot two men at the Oasis Caravan Park who he believed were going to attack his girlfriend, a court has heard.

Shots were fired at Oasis Caravan Park in Kanwal. Picture: Google Maps

A man was “reckless” and “excessive” in his self defence when he fired “two shots into the darkness” towards two men to protect himself and his girlfriend, a court has heard.

Shane Johnson, of Berkeley Vale, faced Gosford District Court on Monday after pleading guilty to two counts of reckless wounding, two counts of supplying a prohibited drug, acquiring a rifle while subject to a firearm prohibition order and driving while disqualified.

The court heard the now 46-year-old had been dating a woman for about nine months when her former partner got out of jail in 2019.

The court heard Johnson and the woman’s ex-boyfriend had had some issues when she discovered her Berkeley Vale home had been broken into and ransacked on Saturday, February 22, 2020.

The woman and one of her female friends found a guitar case at the house with a rifle hidden inside and put it in their car because they feared children might find it.

Johnson had a 0.22 calibre rifle that had been hidden in a guitar case. (File image)

Later that afternoon at 5.55pm Johnson and his girlfriend were captured on CCTV entering the Oasis Caravan Park at Kanwal with Johnson carrying the guitar case, which had a .22 calibre rifle inside.

About 12.40am on Sunday, Johnson and his girlfriend were loading up his car when her mother, her ex-boyfriend, another woman and two other men approached seeking to take Johnson’s girlfriend “home” to Western Sydney.

Johnson faced Gosford District Court on Monday. Picture: David Swift

An agreed set of facts states two of the men — one of which was her ex-boyfriend — ran towards Johnson and started throwing punches.

Johnson ran into the caravan they were staying and shut the sliding door as the men tried to wrestle it open.

Johnson yelled “you’re not coming in” at his girlfriend’s ex-partner who was of “considerably larger build and taller” than Johnson.

The woman’s ex-boyfriend left the door and went over to her and allegedly punched her in the face causing her to fall down.

He stood over her and said “what the f..k did I ever do wrong? When I went to jail you ended up cheating on me”.

Johnson walked out onto the balcony of the caravan armed with the .22 rifle and “fired two shots, only, into the darkness”.

His girlfriend’s ex, aged 42, was struck in the left hip and dropped to the ground screaming “I’ve been shot” while another man, aged 22, was struck in the leg.

Johnson fled the scene.

The younger man had an “entry wound and exit wound” to his upper right thigh but did not seek treatment while the woman’s ex-boyfriend underwent surgery later that morning at Westmead Hospital where a bullet was removed.

A few days later police saw Johnson, who was a disqualified driver, pull into a Hungry Jacks restaurant at Fairfield with his girlfriend in the front passenger seat.

Johnson was arrested at Hungry Jacks at Fairfield. (File image)

He was searched and police found a freezer bag on him containing 55.61g of methamphetamine and another freezer bag containing 27.35g of heroin.

“There is no doubt a very significant risk was created by the manner in which the offender discharged the firearm,” Judge Tanya Bright said.

“It is truly fortunate no one was more seriously injured or killed as a consequence of his behaviour.”

She said his actions were very reckless in that he “fired into darkness when he was well aware there were people in the area” and while he “honestly believed it was necessary to do so to protect his girlfriend” he agreed firing the rifle was not a “reasonable response” to the circumstances.

The court heard Johnson had a lengthy criminal history which included stints in jail for assault, breaking and entering, supplying and possessing drugs, destroying property and driving while disqualified.

“It is clear, not withstanding the extensive history of imprisonment, that nothing has deterred the offender so far from further offences,” she said.

Judge Bright sentenced Johnson to six years and 10 months jail with a non-parole period of three years and two months.

He will be eligible for release in September next year and was also disqualified from driving for a further 12 months.