Carl Ian Jones: Eneabba man admits shooting 42yo man, tells court he acted in self-defence, not with intent

A 47-year-old Eneabba man accused of intentionally shooting another man has admitted pulling the trigger, but claims he acted in self-defence.

The Geraldton District Court trial of Carl Ian Jones started on Monday, after he pleaded not guilty to unlawfully doing grievous bodily harm with intent.

The court was told on the night of February 26, 2024, Mr Jones fired a Bentley 12-gauge pump-action shotgun at 42-year-old Garry Adam Ronald Hiller on Nairn Court in Eneabba after an argument, striking him at close range and inflicting life-threatening injuries.

In signed written admissions tendered to the court, Mr Jones accepted firing the weapon, that Mr Hiller was shot and injured as a result and that the injuries amounted to grievous bodily harm.

Defence counsel Kate Fry told the court that while Mr Jones admitted firing the shotgun, he maintained he acted in self-defence, believing he was defending his home and himself from an intruder.

State prosecutor Brett Tooker outlined the sequence of events leading up to the shooting in his opening statement.

Earlier in the evening of February 26, he said Mr Hiller had visited a neighbouring property occupied by a family friend, Summah Darlene Reynolds, where he drank six pre-mixed vodka drinks. The two later drove to Jurien Bay to buy cigarettes, returning to Nairn Court shortly before 11pm.

According to Mr Tooker, the alleged victim stopped outside Mr Jones’s home, where an argument broke out.

The men had previously been friendly but tensions had developed over Ms Reynolds, who had moved in next door to Mr Jones the previous year, the court was told.

Mr Hiller, said to be protective of the woman, allegedly thought Mr Jones was “creepy” and “had a crush on her”.

The dispute was witnessed by a neighbour, who described it as “heated”

Mr Hiller was said to have “baited” Mr Jones to strike him, but the confrontation ended without violence and the men parted ways.

Ten to 15 minutes later, as Mr Hiller was leaving Ms Reynolds’ house, Mr Jones allegedly called him over to his property, produced the shotgun and fired once from a distance of one to two metres.

The shot struck Mr Hiller in the forearms and torso after he raised his arms instinctively. Mr Tooker said this “instinctive act saved his life”.

The pellets shattered his right radius, tore through both forearms, and penetrated his abdomen, damaging his colon and gallbladder.

Mr Hiller fled to Ms Reynolds home, and a triple-zero call was made at 11.16pm. He was driven to the Silver Chain nursing post, then to meet an ambulance on the Brand Highway and was ultimately airlifted to Perth Royal Hospital via Jurien Bay.

The 42-year-old underwent multiple surgeries, including removal of part of his colon and gallbladder, and spent 30 days in recovery. Medical experts described his wounds as “of such a nature as to endanger life”.

Police later found an Adler 12-gauge shotgun, ammunition, and the Bentley shotgun hidden in a rainwater tank on Mr Jones’s property. During a police interview, Mr Jones denied shooting the complainant and claimed he was not present when a gun was fired on his property.

In her opening statement, Ms Fry told the jury the trial would hinge on intention — whether Mr Jones fired intending to cause serious harm or genuinely believed he was defending himself.

Mr Hiller gave emotional evidence via video link, describing the shooting and its aftermath.

“I felt like I was dying,” he told the court.

“There are roughly 60 pellets still inside my stomach and 13 in my arm. I cannot remember much since the shooting”.

He said he continues to experience pain, infection and mobility issues, and faces further surgery.

During cross-examination, Ms Fry referred to the complainant’s prior criminal record, causing him to become visibly distressed. Judge Laurence Levy briefly adjourned proceedings for his wellbeing before the testimony continued.

The trial before a jury is expected to run for seven days.