Michael Edwards, 58, charged with firearm offences after allegedly shooting man in foot at Greta

Police will allege a registered gun owner shot a man in the foot at his Hunter Coalfields home following a minor disagreement at a pub during Melbourne Cup festivities.

A man was shot in the foot during a dispute in a house on High St, Greta on November 1, 2022. Picture: Google Maps.

Detectives allege a registered gun owner shot a man in the foot through his own door following a minor disagreement during Melbourne Cup festivities at a Coalfields pub.

Michael Edwards, 58, was arrested on Wednesday morning at a home just a few hundred metres away from where he is alleged to have shot the 38-year-old man some 15 hours earlier.

Police will allege Edwards and the alleged victim were drinking in different areas of the same pub for Melbourne Cup day when an argument began between several parties in the late afternoon.

Detectives allege that Edwards visited the alleged victim’s home on High Street at Greta about 8pm that day where the dispute continued before a round was allegedly fired through a door, striking the man in the foot.

The alleged victim was taken to Maitland Hospital by an associate with non life-threatening injuries.

A crime scene was established and forensically examined by specialist officers.

Hunter Valley detectives commenced and investigation before they arrested Edwards at an Anvil St home and took him to Cessnock police station.

“A search warrant was also executed at the premises. It will be alleged that police located a number of firearms, a silencer and a small amount of cannabis,” police said in a statement.

Edwards was later charged with discharge firearm etc intend to cause grievous bodily harm, fire firearm at dwelling-house with disregard for safety, possess or use a prohibited weapon without permit, holder of category A or B licence not have approved storage and possess prohibited drug.

His matter was mentioned in Cessnock Local Court on Thursday, where Edwards did not apply for bail.

Magistrate Robert Stone adjourned the matter to January 18.