Brett Hickman: Man shoots at jet ski rider on Murray River escapes conviction

A man who shot at a jetski on the Murray River over the Christmas holidays has escaped conviction. Here’s how.

Brett Hickman.

A Maiden Gully father-of-two has blamed depression for shooting at a jetski rider from his houseboat in Moama last year.

Brett Hickman, 52, appeared in Albury Local Court on Monday after pleading guilty to firing a firearm in a public place, not keeping a firearm safely, holder of category A or B licence not having approved storage, and possessing a prohibited drug.

Court documents reveal Mr Hickman was staying on his houseboat on the Murray River in Moama with guests on December 27, 2020, and was becoming frustrated with a group camping on the banks of the river who he claimed were acting dangerously on their jet ski.

Mr Hickman told police he had been met with abuse when asking his 23-year-old victim to stop.

About 4pm Mr Hickman walked to his car and retrieved clay target ammunition before returning to the houseboat and retrieving an under over double barrel shotgun from underneath the boat’s lounge.

Mr Hickman loaded the shotgun and fired it into the air as the victim passed the houseboat on his jet ski.

When the victim didn’t seem to notice, Mr Hickman fired again as the jetski passed, witnessed by the victim’s group on the banks of the Murray River.

The victim’s associates then called police.

At 11pm on December 28, 2020, police searched Mr Hickman’s boat, locating the firearm as well as 1g of cannabis leaf which was hidden in a compartment under the steering wheel.

Mr Hickman’s told police the clay target ammunition had a limited range and would not have hit the victim.

Mr Hickman’s defence solicitor said her client’s mental health had suffered in 2020 after he had to lay staff off from his gutter cleaning business, he was unable to coach junior football, and his friend’s son had died from a brain aneurysm.

Police prosecutor sergeant Andrew Pike said he believed the threshold for jail had been crossed.

“It was a serious nature of offending, he fired firearms towards people across a river,” Sgt Pike said.

“I accept the other group were behaving appallingly, but it would have been very frightening for the victim and the other campers.

“They wouldn’t have known it was a weapon that shot clay targets.”

After standing the matter down, Magistrate Richard Funston said he believed the accused had been having “some sort of midlife crisis”.

“Except for this incident, it seems you’ve led a really good life …” Mr Funston said.

“Since this incident it seems you’ve had the opportunity to think a lot about life and been able to show me you have good prospects of rehabilitation.

“I’m confident I won’t see you before me again.”

Mr Hickman was sentenced to 18 months’ good behaviour without a conviction.