Man admits firing shot during fight with cops at Toowoomba hotel

The man who admitted firing a shot during a scuffle with police had been wanted for a violent car jacking earlier that month.

Police on scene shortly after the incident at the Gowrie Road Hotel in the early hours of May 17, 2019.

A 36-year-old man who fired a shot from a shortened rifle during a scuffle with police at a Toowoomba pub was at the time wanted for a violent car jacking.

Jamie Ross Cook had been approached by two police officers doing routine checks of the Gowrie Road Hotel in the early hours of May 17, 2019.

CCTV footage of the incident played to Toowoomba District Court showed Cook push one policeman back and a scuffle ensued.

During the altercation, Cook is seen to be capsicum sprayed by one officer while grappling with the other officer on the floor of the poker machine room.

He then reaches for a gun and fires a shot before breaking free of officers and fleeing through poker machines into an adjoining room.

He then pulls a knife on pub patrons before the police officers grab him and another struggle ensues.

One of the officers eventually tasers Cook who is left in pain on the floor.

Crown prosecutor Ellen Fletcher told the court Cook had a lengthy criminal history including offences of violence.

Jamie Ross Cook is taken from the Gowrie Road Hotel by ambulance officers after being injured in the incident.

He had been released from jail in March 2019 but was back using meth and committing offences within weeks.

He had burgled a house in Brisbane from which he stole jewellery and keys to a car which he drove and crashed in Ascot.

He had then jumped a fence where a couple were getting their three young daughters out of the family Mercedes.

Pointing the gun in the man’s face, Cook demanded the keys but the man said not until he got his 18-month-old daughter out of the car, which he did before handing Cook the keys.

Cook drove off in Mercedes Benz only to crash it on Kingsford Smith Drive after which he fled on foot.

Ten days later he committed the Gowrie Road offences.

Cook pleaded guilty to a total 23 offences.

Ms Fletcher said Cook had since spent more than two years in jail serving out his last sentence and submitted a sentence of eight to 10 years.

Cook’s barrister Daniel Caruana submitted a sentence of eight to nine years.

Judge Nicole Kefford said she wanted to look closely at the cases and adjourned sentence to Friday morning.