Liberty Wares, Brett Ryan, Damian Hammond charged over Wauchope shootings on Mid-North Coast

A 19-year-old woman – one of three charged after bullets were allegedly sprayed into two occupied Mid-North Coast homes on the same night – has been granted bail. Here’s the latest.

Police allege a 19-year-old woman who has been granted bail was one of three people who sprayed bullets into two occupied homes on the same night.

The shootings in public, which police believe were targeted and linked, took place in Wauchope on the Mid-North Coast on August 23.

Liberty Wares has now been accused in relation to the shootings, alongside Brett Anthony Ryan, 53, and Damian Hammond, 33.

Wares has been charged with two counts of discharging a firearm and intending to cause grievous bodily harm and one count of concealing a serious indictable offence.

She was granted bail, with a $5000 surety at Taree Local Court on September 21.

As part of bail conditions, she must report to Taree Police Station three times each week, live at Wingham and abide by a night-time curfew.

Three people have been charged and appeared in court in relation to two public shootings into properties in Wauchope on August 23.

She must not leave the Wingham address between 8pm-6am unless in the company of her parents or grandparents.

Wares has also been directed to stay away from Wauchope.

Her case has been adjourned to Port Macquarie Local Court on November 23.

Meanwhile, co-accused Ryan has been charged with two counts of discharging a firearm and intending to cause grievous bodily harm and one count of concealing a serious indictable offence.

Ryan was denied bail at Taree Local Court on September 21.

His case has also been adjourned to the Port Macquarie court on November 23.

Hammond faces eight charges: one count each of stalking/intimidating intending fear or physical harm, failing to appear in accordance with bail, firing a firearm at a dwelling with disregard for safety, possessing a loaded firearm in public, and two counts each of firing a firearm in a manner likely to injure persons/property and firing a firearm in public.

He was denied bail and his case was adjourned to the same court on October 5.

People at home at time of shootings

The first shooting took place at a property on Trade Circuit, Wauchope, according to Mid North Coast Police District.

Officers were called just before 11pm and found several shots had been fired into a vehicle and building, before a man was seen fleeing in a light-coloured sedan.

Three adults were at the premises at the time, but no one was physically injured.

A short time later, police were called to a property on High St after reports another shot had been fired into a property.

Two adults were home at the time, but again the occupants dodged injury.

Police launched Strike Force Shellshear to investigate and Ryan and Wares were then arrested at Taree Police Station on September 20.

On Friday, September 22, detectives arrested Hammond during a vehicle stop on Bateau Bay Road, Shelly Beach. He was taken to Wyong Police Station and charged.