A Tasmanian man who pointed a shotgun at a woman and threatened to “shoot her dead” has been sentenced to two years behind bars.
Jack Dale, 41, admitted to aggravated burglary, aggravated assault and recklessly discharging a firearm during the incident at a home in Upper Scamander on January 8.
The Supreme Court heard Dale went to the home shortly after 6pm looking for a man he had a grievance with.
Justice Robert Pearce said Dale was armed with a 12-gauge shotgun when he walked into the home through an open sliding door and threatened the woman from just a metre and a half away.
When she wouldn’t tell him where the man he was looking for was, Dale went outside and fired the shotgun towards the house three times.
He then sped off in his vehicle, spent the night in the bush and handed himself into police the next day.
Justice Pearce said that even though it was unlikely Dale would have hit anyone by discharging the firearm in the manner he did, he “acted regardless” of the risk.
“Even before then, you subjected [the woman] to a terrifying and traumatising experience,” he said.
“She was frightened that you would carry out your threat to shoot and kill her.”
The court heard Dale has a long history of violent offending and firearms offences, with previous convictions including several short terms of imprisonment.
He was sentenced to two years in prison, with a non-parole period of 15 months.
