Jerremy Harrington: Perth man on trial in Geraldton accused of pointing shotgun at teenage students in Morawa

The two-day trial of a Perth man accused of pointing a shotgun at two teenage students at the WA College of Agriculture in Morawa last year has concluded, with one of the boys involved telling the court he was “scared for my life”. Jerremy Gordon Harrington, 27, from Banksia Grove, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of pointing a firearm at another person and has stood trial in Geraldton Magistrates Court on Monday and Tuesday this week. The court was told on the evening of August 10, 2024, four students aged 15-16 were under the supervision of Terran Ablett as they refuelled a school minibus ahead of a football game when a white Nissan Navara bearing the school’s logo pulled up next to the group. The vehicle was driven by assistant farm manager Michael Price, with Mr Harrington seated in the rear and his cousin, Lucas Harrington, in the front passenger seat. Two students approached the vehicle and asked if the men had been kangaroo shooting and if they could have a kangaroo tail. At that point, it is alleged Mr Harrington called one of the children an expletive and pulled a shotgun on the boys, resting it on Mr Price’s shoulder, pointing it at the students out of the driver’s side window. One student told the court they could see directly down the barrel, which was estimated to protrude about 15cm from Mr Price’s shoulder. The car then drove off. Both boys described feeling “scared”, with one saying he was “scared for my life”, and noticed the smell of alcohol — particularly beer — coming from the car. Mr Harrington and Mr Price allegedly returned to the group moments later. The court was told Mr Harrington apologised “around 20 times” and described his actions as a “d...head move”, asking the students to “squash it” to avoid Mr Price losing his job. Mr Price, who remains employed at the college, admitted to drinking three beers that evening, and said he felt the firearm resting on his shoulder. He described Mr Harrington’s actions as “irresponsible” and told the court he had said to Mr Harrington his actions were not “the smartest thing to do” immediately after the incident. The boys did not initially report the incident to authorities out of respect for Mr Price, but the boys later recorded a video account that evening as a precaution. It was later raised with the school principal by a concerned parent. Principal Dean Carlake reported the matter to Morawa police and the Department of Education’s standards and integrity unit. Officer-in-charge Sgt Nathan Smith led the investigation, seizing two firearms from Mr Harrington’s home and conducting a recorded interview in which Mr Harrington admitted to lifting the shotgun to show the students, but denied pointing it directly at anyone, instead saying it was pointed towards the front windshield. Defence counsel Karrie Louden argued it was not physically possible for the firearm to have been pointed directly at the students from the back seat. She also suggested the boys were lying or fabricating the events. In his closing statement, police prosecutor Sen. Sgt Thomas Potts said the boys would have no reason to make the story up and there was nothing to gain from the allegations. The magistrate has reserved her decision.