Facebook fugitive jailed over shooting

A LAUNCESTON man has been jailed for his role in a Bonnie and Clyde-style crime spree across the state’s Central Highlands.

Facebook fugitive jailed over shooting

A LAUNCESTON man has been jailed for his role in a Bonnie and Clyde-style crime spree across the state’s Central Highlands.

The so-called Facebook fugitive, Cameron James Brasher, was high on methamphetamines when he opened fire on pursuing police with a sawn-off double-barrelled shotgun from a stolen car in February.

As police launched a six-hour manhunt involving 30 vehicles, a helicopter and an armoured car, his girlfriend and partner in crime Tereza Anne Loone kept their followers updated on social media, posting a selfie photo on Facebook.

Brasher was sentenced in the Supreme Court in Launceston yesterday for seven years’ jail after pleading guilty to three counts of aggravated assault, one of reckless use of a firearm, evading police, resisting and threatening police, firearm offences and three counts of stealing.

The court heard that Brasher was upset over a custody dispute when he went on a methamphetamine-fuelled rampage in a stolen hire car with Loone.

An officer on patrol on February 25 saw the hire car in a car park at Arthur’s Lake. Police waited until early morning to swoop but Brasher refused to get out of the car and drove at officers and fled the car park, striking road spikes police had laid.

He drove for 35km on punctured tyres before losing control on the way down the face of the Great Western Tiers near Poatina.

He fired at a police car, smashing a side window, and when arrested tried to wrestle a firearm from an officer.

Justice Robert Pearce said that police had been seriously affected by the 26-year-old’s actions.

“It was extremely fortunate that police officers had not suffered serious injury. When he was fired at, Constable [Adrian] Ayres feared for his life,” he said.

Justice Pearce said the aggravated assaults – when Brasher fired the sawn-off double-barrelled shotgun at police – were deliberate and frightening.

After his arrest Brasher threatened another constable, saying that he never forgot a face and that one day he would be walking down the street and would get shot at.

“That threat was a particularly nasty and threatening one,” Justice Pearce said.

He said Brasher’s conduct was contemptuous and a challenge to authority and had continued over a prolonged period.

“A heavy sentence of imprisonment is required,” he said.

Justice Pearce set a non-parole period of four-and-a-half years from February 26, 2014.

Police Association Secretary Pat Allen said police were satisfied with the sentence.

“The event greatly impacted Adrian Ayres. He’s a very committed police officer who has suffered severely with some issues with what happened to him. He came very close to dying,” Mr Allen said.

“Police can be victims and I must commend the officers involved for their restraint.”

Loone, 26, of Ravenswood was fined $900 in September after pleading guilty to two counts of stealing and three firearm charges and to contravening conditions of a notice.