A RAVENSWOOD man jailed for shooting at police has appealed against his seven-year sentence. Cameron James Brasher, 26, appeared before the Criminal Court of Appeal this morning to argue against what his lawyer described as a severe and excessive punishment. Brasher was last year imprisoned for firing his sawn-off double-barrelled shotgun four times at police at close range. He had earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated assault against police, recklessly discharging a firearm, unlawfully injuring property and a host of summary offences. His crimes stemmed from a drug-fuelled crime spree which began last February, while Brasher was coming off a months-long meth binge. His arrest sparked a dramatic Central Highlands manhunt, culminating in Brasher crashing a spiked hire car and firing at policemen huddled inside two cars at Poatina. Brasher's lawyer, Alan Hensley, said his client's seven-year head sentence went well beyond past sanctions for similar crimes. Mr Hensley said the sentence was more akin with an attempted murder charge, rather than aggravated assault where nobody was physically harmed. ''It's very much out of kilter with sentences where a weapon is discharged towards a complainant but the complainant is not struck,'' he said. ''The vast majority of shots missed the vehicles entirely.'' Mr Hensley said Brasher's belief he was under attack at the time, and his lack of clear intent to wound or kill the officers, were significant mitigating factors. Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Darryl Coates SC said if the case were examined as an aggravated assault, the sentence would seem excessive. ''But it's not just one aggravated assault, it's three aggravated assaults and a number of other serious offences,'' Mr Coates said. ''It certainly was terrifying for those three police officers and the consequences could have been horrific.'' Mr Coates said Brasher did not stop after firing the first shots at police. ''He then on two more occasions tried to shoot at police officers,'' he said. ''The aggravating factors in this case take it out of the range of the normal crime of aggravated assault.'' The appeal judges have retired to consider their decision.
A RAVENSWOOD man jailed for shooting at police has appealed against his seven-year sentence.
Cameron James Brasher, 26, appeared before the Criminal Court of Appeal this morning to argue against what his lawyer described as a severe and excessive punishment.
Brasher was last year imprisoned for firing his sawn-off double-barrelled shotgun four times at police at close range.
He had earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated assault against police, recklessly discharging a firearm, unlawfully injuring property and a host of summary offences.
His crimes stemmed from a drug-fuelled crime spree which began last February, while Brasher was coming off a months-long meth binge.
His arrest sparked a dramatic Central Highlands manhunt, culminating in Brasher crashing a spiked hire car and firing at policemen huddled inside two cars at Poatina.
Brasher's lawyer, Alan Hensley, said his client's seven-year head sentence went well beyond past sanctions for similar crimes.
Mr Hensley said the sentence was more akin with an attempted murder charge, rather than aggravated assault where nobody was physically harmed.
''It's very much out of kilter with sentences where a weapon is discharged towards a complainant but the complainant is not struck,'' he said.
''The vast majority of shots missed the vehicles entirely.''
Mr Hensley said Brasher's belief he was under attack at the time, and his lack of clear intent to wound or kill the officers, were significant mitigating factors.
Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Darryl Coates SC said if the case were examined as an aggravated assault, the sentence would seem excessive.
''But it's not just one aggravated assault, it's three aggravated assaults and a number of other serious offences,'' Mr Coates said.
''It certainly was terrifying for those three police officers and the consequences could have been horrific.''
Mr Coates said Brasher did not stop after firing the first shots at police.
''He then on two more occasions tried to shoot at police officers,'' he said.
''The aggravating factors in this case take it out of the range of the normal crime of aggravated assault.''
The appeal judges have retired to consider their decision.
