‘Very stupid’: Talented footy player cops jail time for friend’s alleged drive-by shooting

A star Claremont football player has been sentenced after getting involved in a drive-by shooting allegedly unleashed by a friend.

Supreme Court of Tasmania, Hobart. Picture: Chris Kidd

A star Claremont football player has been sentenced after getting involved in a drive-by shooting allegedly unleashed by a friend.

Jarrod Mark Leigh Smith has been admonished for his “dangerous and very stupid” behaviour dating back to November 2022 after his friend allegedly called his ex-girlfriend and threatened to kill her new partner.

The friend in question, a youth, is yet to be dealt with.

On the night in question, Smith’s friend allegedly drunkenly called his ex-girlfriend and told her he was coming over.

The youth allegedly retrieved a shortened .22 calibre rifle, wrapping it in a balaclava and giving it to Smith who was waiting in a car, who then put it in a backpack at his feet.

Another man drove the pair to the woman’s street, slowing the car to a walking pace, with Smith passing the firearm to his friend.

Outside the woman’s home, Smith’s friend allegedly loaded it and fired it at the woman’s house from the car window.

Supreme Court Acting Justice David Porter.

While sentencing, Supreme Court Acting Justice David Porter said it was asserted Smith and his friend laughed before the car was driven away at speed.

After hearing the gunshot, the woman saw part of her kitchen window was broken and called her ex, accusing him of shooting at the house and claiming he’d been holding back laughter as he asked her if she had proof.

The next day, Smith and his friend went to the Bridgewater Police Station, having been encouraged to do so by family and friends, with Smith making a statutory declaration to police denying his involvement in a shooting.

Smith later claimed he’d handed the gun to his friend along with a bullet, and gave police a “bulls..t” story so his friend would not get into trouble.

He claimed he thought his friend was only trying to scare the occupants of the house, but acknowledged the potential fatal risk of firing a gun.

The judge said Smith was a talented footballer, having represented Tasmania as a junior and was associated with the Claremont Football Club, a leading amateur association.

Acting Justice Porter noted the club supported Smith, and that he’d now cut himself off from his former associates.

“This was truly a dangerous and very stupid thing for you to be involved in,” he said.

Smith, who pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, perverting justice and possessing a prohibited firearm when not a holder of a licence, was sentenced to 15 months’ jail, dating back to July 14 this year.

The balance of the sentence, as of December 20, was suspended on condition Smith commit no offence punishable by imprisonment for two years.

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