Gun fired in Hervey Bay street after teenager’s nine-day ice bender

An ice-addicted teenager fired a gun down a Hervey Bay street after seeing his ex girlfriend with a new partner.

A teen had been on a nine-day ice bender before firing a gun down a suburban Hervey Bay street.

An ice-addicted teenager fired a gun down a Hervey Bay street after seeing his ex girlfriend with a new partner.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to one count of dangerous conduct with a weapon when he faced Maryborough District Court on Wednesday.

Crown prosecutor Farook Anoozer said the incident happened on January 1, 2023, when the teen fired a rifle while driving a car along Freshwater Street.

He had first pointed the rifle at the couple before shooting it down the street, he said.

The teen had served 170 days in pre-sentence custody.

His childhood had been “very unfortunate”, the court heard, and he had been exposed to drugs at a young age.

MORE NEWS: Hundreds to tee off at Fraser Coast Mates golf day

He had started smoking marijuana at 12 and had later become addicted to ice.

In the lead-up to the events on New Year’s Day, he had been on a nine-day ice bender, the court heard.

Judge Ian Dearden said the teen’s actions had been a “terrifying thing to do”.

“You could have killed someone,” he said.

After the incident, the boy was found by police hiding in an upstairs room of a home, with the rifle wrapped in a shirt by the side of a couch.

The teen intended to move to the Sunshine Coast for a fresh start, the court heard.

He was sentenced to the 170 days he had already spent in custody and no conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Gun fired in Hervey Bay street after teenager’s nine-day ice bender