Kurt Cunningham pleads guilty to firing rifle to break up violent fight outside his Cardiff home
A Cardiff man felt “intimidated and very scared” before he pulled out his .22 rifle, firing it to scare off a group of people fighting in his street on Valentine’s Day.
Newcastle
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A Cardiff man who twice fired a rifle in an effort to protect his neighbour from being bashed has found himself before a magistrate for his troubles.
Kurt Edward Cunningham, 37, on Monday pleaded guilty in Belmont Local Court to firing a firearm in a public place.
A second charge, firing a firearm in a manner likely to injure persons or property, was withdrawn by the prosecution.
Court documents revealed Cunningham, a heavy vehicle mechanic, witnessed his neighbour being bashed outside their homes on Newcastle St, Cardiff, about 11.15pm on February 14.
“The defendant witnessed the three unknown males and one unknown female attacking his neighbour,” the documents said.
“They attempted to punch, kick and threw objects.
“Feeling alarmed, the defendant went to his garage located in the rear of the defendant’s property and retrieved his .22 calibre rifle from the locked safe and gathered ammunition.”
The documents said Cunningham returned to the front of his house brandishing the weapon.
“The defendant told the three men and one female in a firm voice to ‘f**k off’,” the documents said.
“The group then started to yell at the defendant and behave in a threatening manner by coming close to his fence.
“Feeling intimidated and very scared, the defendant fired the rifle into the ground beside where he was standing.”
The documents said the group started to walk away, before returning and threatening Cunningham again.
“Feeling threatened, (he) discharged the rifle onto the ground again.
“The three men and one female then left the area.
“(The neighbour) then approached the defendant and thanked him.”
An earlier police statement said Cunningham’s neighbour was the only one at the scene when officers arrived shortly after the incident.
A 21-year-old man was charged with affray over the beating.
Cunningham was charged one month after the shooting, with that part of the melee only coming to light later in the police investigation.
Magistrate Sharon Crews sentenced Cunningham to a two-and-a-half year community corrections order.
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A man has been charged after allegedly firing a .22 calibre rifle during a brawl outside his Cardiff home.
Kurt Edward Cunningham, 37, did not enter a plea in Belmont Local Court on Wednesday to one charge each of firing a firearm in a public place, and firing a firearm in a manner likely to injure persons or property.
A police statement said officers were called to Newcastle St about 11.15pm on February 14, to reports of a group of men fighting.
Police spoke to a 26-year-old man who was the only person at the scene when they arrived.
A 21-year-old man was later charged with affray.
Police allege their investigation into the incident found Cunningham had produced the rifle and fired it twice during the melee.
He was charged one month after the incident and released on conditional bail.
That bail was continued in court on Wednesday, with Cunningham to reappear on May 14.
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