Cory James Glass, 26, faces Kempsey court charged with taking part in alleged Mid-North Coast shooting spree
A Victorian man has faced court charged with gun offences after allegedly telling police he was on cocaine at the time of an 80km Mid-North Coast shooting spree, which left residents hiding and schools locked down.
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A Victorian man has faced court charged with gun offences after allegedly telling police he was on cocaine at the time of an 80km Mid-North Coast shooting spree, which left residents hiding in homes and schools locked down.
Corey James Glass, 26, initially did not appear in Kempsey Local Court on Friday morning to face three counts of discharge firearm intending to cause grievous bodily harm and three counts of firing firearm in or near public place.
No pleas have been entered.
A defence lawyer said Glass was at the Kempsey Police Station but did not wish to appear and there was no application for bail.
Glass allegedly told officers he was under the influence of cocaine at the time of the shootings. A police prosecutor applied for Glass to provide a urine sample following an initial blood sample.
However, Glass did ultimately appear in the court about 10.50am for a formal urine analysis application by the prosecution.
Glass sat in the dock barefoot, dressed in black shorts and a red and black Chicago Bulls singlet emblazoned with “Jordan” and the number 23.
He appeared agitated and was seen repeatedly tapping his feet and fidgeting during proceedings.
Glass’s case was adjourned to January 17.
The court heard the second man arrested alongside Glass in dramatic scenes on the riverbank near the Kempsey CBD about 3.15pm on Thursday, 32-year-old Tyrone Russell, was not likely to be charged or face court on Friday.
He spent time in Kempsey Hospital under police guard following his arrest, but both Glass and Russell have been at Kempsey Police Station being interviewed by police.
Court documents state Glass is a resident of Bayswater, Victoria.
While more details emerge about the complicated sequence of events which unfolded between 1.40am and about 5.30 on Thursday across a stretch of the Mid-North Coast, police have yet to confirm if a body of a man found at Fernbank Creek is connected to the shootings.
It’s alleged a police car was peppered with bullets and three motorists were shot at randomly.
Parts of Port Macquarie were sent into temporary lockdown and residents were warned to stay indoors.
A Mercedes dual cab ute was found abandoned at Wayne Richards Park, Port Macquarie about 10.30am. It was seized for forensic examination.
Police arrested Glass and Russell around Geoffrey Debenham St.
The massive police operation on Thursday was established by Mid North Coast Police District, which was assisted by officers from Manning-Great Lakes Police District and NSW Police specialist units.
That included Polair, the Tactical Operations Unit, the Police Dog Unit, Traffic and Highway Patrol and other Northern Region resources.
Police allege officers were called to the M1 at Coopernook following reports of shots fired at a Toyota LandCruiser from a Mercedes ute about 1.40am.
The Toyota driver dodged serious injury and a bullet grazed his arm. The man presented to Manning Base Hospital for treatment.
Police were then allegedly called to the M1 at The Hatch about 4.40am, following reports of shots fired at another vehicle. No injuries were reported to police.
About 5.15am, shots were fired at another vehicle on the M1 at Kundabung, it’s alleged. No injuries were reported to police.
A short time later, shots were fired in the direction of a police vehicle on the M1 near Fernbank Creek Rd, Port Macquarie, according to police. No officers were injured.
The man’s body was found next to Fernbank Creek Rd – not far from where police were allegedly shot at – about 5.40am.
Police confirmed the death was being treated as suspicious, but it was too early to speculate on the cause.
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