Joshua Bowman pleads guilty to drug supply, public place shooting and break and enter in Denman

A measly debt over some pot resulted in a break-in with a machete, the launching of molotov cocktails and the discharging of a gun in public. Here’s what went down.

Joshua Bowman pleaded guilty to a raft of charges in Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday. Supplied Amy Ziniak

A drug debt totalling the grand sum of $40 was apparently enough of a catalyst for Joshua Claude Bowman to arm himself with a machete and break into a mate’s Hunter Valley home.

The 27-year-old and another man slipped into the unlocked garage at the Almond St home in Denman on August 25 last year demanding the 20-year-old pay up what he owed Bowman.

Police facts state there was an exchange of words between the three men before triple-0 was called and the men fled.

More than two weeks later Bowman struck again, with court documents stating he was part of a group of men that set off three molotov cocktails and threw them at the Almond St residence – burning the outside of the home.

Police facts also detailed Bowman was driving a Holden Colorado in Denman on January 13 this year - stolen from EMF Group at Muswellbrook in mid December - and was holding a loaded firearm before he discharged it.

Bowman was arrested by the tactical operations unit in Muswellbrook. Istock.

Court documents revealed messages Bowman sent to friends saying, “I’m about to shoot this c**t. I’ve had dramas with this c**t for f**king ages”.

It was only three days later the 27-year-old also stole a Nissan Navara from BlackRock Industries at the Mount Pleasant mining site in Kyuga with another man, as well as a trailer attached with 1200 litres of diesel fuel, according to police facts.

Court documents state the pair drove the vehicle off-site just before 4am, 17 kilometres down the road, removed the trailer and ransacked the vehicle before dumping it in bushland.

Police facts detailed how Bowman was also dealing drugs, including meth and cannabis leaf, to various customers and friends throughout January this year.

On January 17, Bowman was arrested by heavily armed police – including the State Tactical Operations Unit and Serious Crime and Robbery Squad detectives – during a search warrant at Muswellbrook.

The raid followed Hunter Valley police establishing Strike Force Kilbride to investigate the alleged shooting at Denman earlier in January.

Officers seized a shortened rifle, black safe bag with bullets, a wooden chest containing shotgun shells and Bowman was also in possession of the stolen Colorado.

In an interview with police he told them he had not had a driver’s license for seven years but had continued to drive.

He also told officers that the man in Denman, whose home he broke into, was his mate but claimed he was part of a group of people to hold him hostage at knife-point in his bathroom five months ago.

He also mentioned he went to take his motorbike because he was owed $40 for pot.

Police facts detailed that Bowman also explained he got the stolen Colorado from someone on Facebook for $1000 with poker machine winnings and had been taking ice every day for the last two to three months.

In Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday Bowman pleaded guilty to break and enter dwelling to commit a serious indictable offence armed with an offensive weapon, recklessly damage property by explosives, charges of drug supply, possess a loaded firearm in a public place, possess an unauthorised firearm and ammunition, drive a motor vehicle without being licensed and stealing offences.

His remaining charges were dropped.

He’ll head to the District Court next month for a sentence date to be set.