Gold Coast man David John Hall acquitted of threatening people with ‘gun’ after weapon revealed to be designer thong

A Gold Coast man accused of threatening multiple people with a gun has been acquitted - after a court was told he was actually holding a black designer thong.

A GOLD Coast man accused of threatening four people in a car with a gun was actually holding a black, designer thong, a court has been told.

David John Hall was acquitted in the Southport Magistrates Court on Tuesday to going armed to cause fear.

Hall was accused of waving a gun out the window of his black Mercedes car at a white SUV containing the Johnson family near Charis Seafood, Labrador on May 15 this year.

David Hall (left) leaves court with his lawyer Jason Grant, of Grant Lawyers.

The court was told Hall held the gun out the window and yelled: “I’m going to kill you and your whole f***ing family, you dogs.”

Hall told police he was actually waving a foot thong.

Magistrate John McInnes found Hall not guilty after a day-long trial.

The court was told the alleged threat came after Gordon Johnson, who was a passenger in the car, punched Hall numerous times in the Grand Hotel.

Mr Johnson was not charged over the altercation.

CCTV footage of that altercation was played to the court and Mr Johnson told the court he had punched Hall.

David Hall (right) leaves court with his lawyer Jason Grant, of Grant Lawyers.

The court was also played video footage taken by a passenger in the car moments after the alleged threat with the gun.

The footage showed a woman getting out of the black Mercedes and waving a thong around.

Mr Johnson, his wife Lee Anne Johnson – who was driving – and their daughter Elysia Johnson all told the court the woman had gotten out of the car waving a gun.

When questioned about whether they had seen a gun near Charis, all of the Johnsons told the court they were “sure” it was a gun and not a thong.

Mr McInnes said when he handed down his decision: “Clearly she had a piece of footwear in the footage and it is clearly visible for a longer time than had been at Charis Seafood.”

Mr McInnes said while he found the witnesses reliable he was not able to find beyond a reasonable doubt Hall had a gun.

During the trial, Gold Coast police plain clothes senior constable Sarah Farrell said Hall told her the item he waved was a thong.

Prosecutor Bob Falconer asked: “So the defendant alleged he was in possession of a thong?”

Sen Const Farrell replied: “That’s correct.”

She also told the court that no other members of the public had reported seeing anyone with a gun that day.

Hall declined to comment following the trial.

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