It was a brazen act that could have easily cost a Warrawong man his life.
Corey Blackmore found himself staring down the barrel of a police officer's gun after abusing two senior constables, threatening to kill the pair after they approached him as he sat in a parked car on a Warrawong street.
"F--- you c---, I've got a gun and I'll shoot ya," he yelled.
The officers had approached the blue Holden Commodore about 5.30pm on January 20 after seeing the car parked outside a block of units in Todd Street which was "known for drug activity".
After speaking briefly with the 21-year-old they asked him to get out of the car, but he immediately became angry and abusive.
Blackmore told police he had a gun and was going to use it. One of the officers removed another passenger from the car and pointed his gun at Blackmore.
After a few tense moments the Warrawong man complied with the officer's requests to raise his hands - prompting the officer to re-holster his gun. He then quickly exited the car and ran towards the second officer, who pepper-sprayed him in the face.
Blackmore attempted to flee but was cornered by the first officer 50 metres up the road.
He was charged with intimidating a police officer and drug possession; police found 1.76 grams of cannabis in his underwear.
On Monday, Port Kembla Local Court heard Blackmore, a schizophrenic, had gone off his medication at the time of the incident because it was making him put on weight and grow breast tissue.
Magistrate Michael Stoddart took into account Blackmore's mental health issues but said the offence "clearly warranted" jail time.
"If you had just gotten out of the car things would have been a lot different," he said.
"The senior constable drew a firearm . . . it doesn't get more serious than that. It could have easily ended a lot worse."
Mr Stoddart sentenced Blackmore to 18 months' jail with a non-parole period of nine months.
He will be eligible for release on October 19.
Source: Illawarra Mercury
