A man involved in a police stand-off earlier this year narrowly avoided an immediate term of imprisonment following a Bunbury court appearance this week.
Michael Nicky Lee, 35, was charged with threatening to kill and failing to ensure safe-keeping of a firearm after sending a photo to his victim of a shotgun shell with the victim’s name written on it.
This threat – along with other threatening text messages – was reported on January 22, prompting police to set up a cordon outside Lee’s Dalyellup home until the offender surrendered.
A subsequent search of Lee’s home uncovered five firearms as well as ammunition, with one shotgun found outside a gun safe.
Counsel for Lee said his client had moved to Bunbury with his wife in 2010.
The couple shared three children, and the breakdown of the marriage affected Lee deeply.
District Court Judge Davis said a message needed to be sent to Lee and the wider community that this was not acceptable behaviour.
Lee was given a sentence of nine months’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, along with a $1000 fine.
He will be required to undergo supervision and program requirements.
The judge told Lee this was not the end of his punishment, and any breaches of the suspended sentence would result in imprisonment.
