Daniel Lea: Stanhope man jailed for shooting a rifle in revenge attacks

A Stanhope man who took part in revenge attacks over the alleged rape of a teenage girl known to his friends has been jailed.

Daniel Lea was jailed for firing a single shot through a door. Generic image.

A man who took part in revenge attacks following the alleged rape of a teenage girl a court has heard.

Stanhope’s Daniel Lea, 34, pleaded guilty to reckless conduct endangering serious injury and being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison, with 719 days already served.

Court documents reveal Lea shot a .22 rifle through the door of the complainant’s home as they and two others frantically retreated inside.

On the night of April 19, 2019, the complainant saw four to five cars arrive out the front of his house on his security camera monitors.

Between 20 and 30 people got out of the cars and started yelling and threatening they were going to hurt and kill the complainant.

It was revealed about 15 to 20 people in the group threw beer bottles, pot plants and rocks at the house.

It is not alleged that Lea was involved in any of the earlier incidents.

At about 10.30pm, the complainant saw three cars drive past his house, perform U-turns and park about 100m away, with another three pulling up at the other end of the street.

The complainant, who was carrying an air rifle to try and scare the group away, along with two friends went to the door, and told them to “f***” off”.

One of the friends inside the house saw Lea pulling the screen door open but did not say anything to him before shutting and locking the door.

The complainant saw Lea in clear view in the middle of the group and could see him holding a .22 rifle.

Lea then walked up to the front door, and pointing the gun into the doorway, fired.

The complainant did not see the accused discharge the gun but heard the shot.

A neighbour of the complainant also told police she saw a man get a gun out of a car boot and heard what she thought was a gunshot.

Police found a .22 brass rim fire casing outside the complaint’s home and arrested Lea on August 25.

When asked by investigators where the firearm was, Lea told them “I chucked it off McCoys Bridge”.

Divers were unable to locate the firearm in their search.

Judge Sarah Leighfield said Lea had not attended the address with the intention of shooting the rifle.

“This offending was not pre-planned,” she said.

The judge labelled Lea’s prospects for rehabilitation as “reasonable” due to the support he would receive from family following his release.

Lea was given a non-parole period of two years.