A 69-year-old Wheatbelt man has been sentenced to six years in jail over the shooting death of his neighbour in an incident witnessed by the victim's eight-year-old godson.
Perth's Supreme Court today heard Vernon John Murphy was drunk and had become agitated over a $2,500 debt when he fired his gun into the roof of his Merredin home, 260km east of Perth, before another shot struck and killed Stephen Charles Johnson who was standing near the door.
Murphy was originally charged in late 2019 with murdering the 30-year-old, but this was recently discontinued and he pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
Justice Stephen Hall acknowledged Murphy had not intended to kill nor seriously harm Mr Johnson, but said the shooting had been a "reckless, impulsive action by a drunken man".
Prosecutor Adam Ebell told the court the .22 lever-action rifle was "an inherently dangerous weapon in sober hands, let alone in the hands of a grossly intoxicated individual in a heightened state of emotion".
Child witness
He said the shooting was witnessed by Mr Johnson's godson.
"He witnessed the shooting of his godfather who had just minutes earlier been cooking dinner for him and his older brother," Mr Ebell said.
"It would be an understatement to suggest that would have been an incredibly traumatic experience."
Four of Mr Johnson's close family and friends, including the child's mother, supplied victim impact statements to the court and spoke of their enormous loss.
His mother said Mr Johnson was a loving father to his children who "he loved with all his heart".
'Life for a life'
Murphy's lawyer, Justine Fisher, told the court her client was "devastated" by what he had done.
"A young man has lost his life (and) Mr Murphy is devastated that he has caused that," Ms Fisher said.
"He takes the view that it is a life for a life.
"He cannot express the level of his grief in relation to that either.
"His son has gone through considerable hardship and Mr Murphy, through his own conduct, has not been able to be there to offer any support to the family."
Murphy will be eligible for parole after four years.
