Bandit who shot Gold Coast dog squad cop in face found guilty

AN armed robber who shot Gold Coast police officer Gary Hamrey in the face has been found guilty of attempted murder.

Brisbane Supreme Court Sergeant Gary Hamrey at court during ther trial of Robert George Speedy, 49, of Labrador, who has pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of Sergeant Gary Hamrey on September 27 2012 at Arundel Tavern Photographer Philip Norrish NO BY LINE

AN armed robber who shot Gold Coast police officer Gary Hamrey in the face has been found guilty of attempted murder.

A Brisbane Supreme Court jury returned its verdict in the trial of 49-year-old Robert George Speedy on Thursday morning.

Speedy had admitted to shooting Sergeant Hamrey in the cheek with a rifle while on the run from the scene of an armed robbery, but argued it wasn’t an attempt to kill the officer.

Sergeant Gary Hamrey

But the jury rejected Speedy’s version on Thursday morning, after having begun deliberations about 12.30pm Wednesday afternoon. Both Speedy and Sergeant Hamrey showed little emotion when the verdict was handed down.

Sgt Hamrey shook hands with a colleague after the guilty verdict was read out.

Speedy is due to be sentenced at a later date, along with his accomplice in the armed robbery, Jake Watson.

The trial heard Speedy shot the police dog squad officer in the cheek from four metres with a .22 sawn-off rifle in the early hours of September 27, 2013.

Sgt Hamrey had cornered the armed robbers in a dark Parkwood backyard after tracking them for more than 90 minutes through suburban parkland and properties.

Speedy and Watson had earlier held up the Arundel Tavern, armed with a machete and the rifle, and fled with more than $40,000 from its safe.

Despite having been shot in the face, Sgt Hamrey returned fire at Speedy and, along with two other officers, prevented the pair’s getaway.

He spent two days in hospital recovering from the wound.

Watson pleaded guilty to committing a malicious act with intent and three charges of armed robbery before Speedy’s trial.