Alleged home made shotgun shooter Glenn Raymond Cooper to stand trial in Geraldton

A man accused of firing a homemade shotgun during an argument on a Geraldton street last year will go to trial after pleading not guilty to charges stemming from the incident. Police allege Glenn Raymond Cooper, 36, shot at Shannon Thomas Woods — almost hitting two innocent bystanders — after Woods, 26, smashed three CCTV cameras out the front of Mr Cooper’s Utakarra house. The confrontation on November 26 forced Clematis Crescent to be locked down by police as forensic officers investigated the scene, allegedly uncovering a cache of weapons and ammunition inside his house. Inside Mr Cooper’s house police say they found a crossbow, a homemade taser, a replica gun and a gel blaster pistol. In Geraldton Magistrate’s Court last Thursday, Mr Cooper pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing ammunition without a licence, possessing a prohibited weapon and possessing drug paraphernalia. But he entered not guilty pleas for endangering the life, health or safety of a person and three further weapons charges. Mr Cooper was pictured outside the courthouse in November entering his car, without any shoes, after he was released on bail following a night in custody. The two men are believed to be known to each other, with investigators saying it was an isolated incident. In November the court heard the pair were “shouting abuse” at each other before Mr Cooper went back inside his property. Sgt Gildersleeve said a shot allegedly discharged towards Woods struck the ground near him and two witnesses who had gathered nearby. Magistrate Gregory Benn told the court in November while Mr Cooper was alleged to have committed a very dangerous act, it was important to note he was “not the catalyst”. “If the victim is going to go around and start trouble, well he should expect it back,” he said. “I don’t have sympathy for the victim.” Det-Sen. Sgt Bruce McDonald said in November it was disturbing the shooting had allegedly uncovered cache of dangerous weapons. “It’s very concerning to see weapons constructed like that in our community,” he said. Woods was fined on December 10 after pleading guilty to criminal damage for breaking the CCTV cameras. Mr Cooper’s bail was extended on similar terms and he will reappear in the same court on April 12 when the matter will be set down for a trial.