Ligar Street shooting: man walks free from court

By Evan Schuurman
Updated November 2 2012 - 5:04pm, first published July 12 2011 - 10:47pm
Ligar Street shooting: man walks free from court
Ligar Street shooting: man walks free from court

A BALLARAT man has walked free after being acquitted of murder following a shooting in Ligar Street early last year.A jury took less than four hours to find Jon Lucas, 29, not guilty of murdering acquaintance, Steven Brooks, and attempting to murder Mr Brooks’ friend, Gregory Bullock. They also dismissed alternative charges of defensive homicide, attempted defensive homicide and manslaughter.Tears were shed across the packed courtroom as the jury revealed its decision. The friends and family of both the deceased and accused were present and had been throughout the trial, but Mr Brooks’ side left soon after the verdict was handed down.At least 15 witnesses gave evidence during the Supreme Court hearing in Ballarat, all telling their side of a story that has had wide-reaching effects across the Ballarat community.Mr Lucas has spent the past 18 months behind bars since he turned himself into police late on January 10, last year.Earlier that morning Mr Brooks was fatally wounded and Mr Bullock left with severe internal injuries, after Mr Lucas shot them both using a Winchester .22 calibre rifle. But he did so in self defence, the jury decided.The shooting stemmed back to an ongoing dispute between Mr Brooks and Mr Lucas regarding the loan of a bobcat and an amount of money somewhere between $100 and $500.During the trial the jury learned that Mr Lucas and his friend Ryan Quinlan went to their mutual friend, Bradley Spark’s Ligar Street home in the early hours of January 10, where Mr Lucas and Mr Brooks were seen laughing together and were described as being “pleasant”.But moments later the bobcat dispute was re-ignited and Mr Brooks became enraged, head butting Mr Lucas and wrestling with him before the pair were broken up. Mr Spark said that once Mr Brooks was told to leave, he threatened to come back with a friend, which caused Mr Lucas to take drastic measures.Fearing for his life, Mr Lucas grabbed a rifle from the boot of his black Mercedes, which he had used to go hunting with earlier that morning.When Mr Brooks returned in a red utility he was accompanied by Mr Bullock, who was also the first witness to give evidence during the trial.Mr Lucas fired what he called a “warning” shot at the vehicle, causing it to speed off.But it returned yet again soon after, this time just as Mr Lucas and Mr Quinlan were attempting to leave Ligar Street and find safer ground.Mr Lucas testified that Mr Brooks got out of the ute and raised what he thought was a rifle before he shot him in the chest.Mr Lucas admitted he later discovered the weapon was a load minder — a heavy metal object used to tie down machinery.Then Mr Bullock, clutching a steel mash hammer above his shoulder, came at him and Mr Lucas fired another shot, also hitting the chest.“It was less than half a second before I copped a hammer in the face and it would’ve killed me”, Mr Lucas told the jury when he took to the witness stand.But Mr Bullock kept coming, chasing Mr Lucas down the street before being forced to go back and tend to his dying mate.After the verdict was delivered, Justice Bernard Bongiorno thanked the jury, who he said had fulfilled an important function in society. “On behalf of the community I thank you very much,” he said.But Justice Bongiorno’s final words were what Mr Lucas and his family had no doubt longed to hear.“Release the prisoner,” Justice Bongiorno said.

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