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Enraged grandad channels Clint Eastwood
Tough customer ... Owen Bernard Wilkins, 81.
IT WAS like a scene from Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino - both bizarre and potentially deadly.
An enraged grandad stormed to his neighbour's house with a loaded gun and opened fire through the door after seeing a youth emerge from the property and expose himself.
Newcastle Local Court yesterday heard that 81-year-old Owen Bernard Wilkins swung into action after a teenage girl he knew pulled up in her car outside his Caves Beach home.
Two of her teenage friends ran from a neighbouring house to see her, with one pulling down his shorts and exposing his genitals.
Wilkins saw the incident but failed to realise the humorous intent. Infuriated, he marched to the neighbour's house and barged in. "Who is he? If I find out I'm going to slit his throat," the retired factory worker demanded, according to police.
The boy's uncle Todd Kirkwood told Wilkins to leave and pushed him out the front door. Wilkins returned armed with an antique .22 revolver.
He was met at the door by Mr Kirkwood, who refused to let him in.
The grandfather pulled out the tiny gun and pointed it at his neighbour's head, telling him: "Don't you know who I am? I can get you hurt."
But the threat failed to have the desired effect. "That's a friggin' cap gun you bloody dickhead. Just p. . . off," Mr Kirkwood replied, mistaking the weapon for a toy.
With that, Wilkins fired a shot through the screen door, the bullet whizzing past Mr Kirkwood's right ear and lodging in the ceiling. The pair then wrestled on the front lawn before Mr Kirkwood managed to disarm Wilkins and call police. When officers arrived, Wilkins told them only: "I want my pistol back."
He pleaded guilty yesterday to discharging a firearm in a manner likely to injure.
Magistrate Elaine Truscott said the incident was "a bit like that movie Gran Torino . . . just without the car".
In the movie, Clint Eastwood's character threatens his neighbour with a gun after catching him trying to steal his prized Gran Torino.
She said Wilkins had "completely over-reacted" to the boy pulling down his shorts and had failed to realise the context of the incident.
Speaking after the sentencing, Mr Kirkwood said he didn't realise the danger he was in last November until the gun went off.
Ms Truscott placed Wilkins on a five-year good behaviour bond but stopped short of a jail sentence due to his age and his clean record.
What the fuck? How can anyone in their right mind justify these sort of actions? The old cunt should be locked up, he is obviously a danger to the community.
Lol @ comments
Comments on this story
What the fuck are these people high or what? Granted this is the DT lol. Haha comment 24 is gold though.
- By Neil Keene
- From: The Daily Telegraph
- July 30, 2009 12:00AM
Tough customer ... Owen Bernard Wilkins, 81.
IT WAS like a scene from Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino - both bizarre and potentially deadly.
An enraged grandad stormed to his neighbour's house with a loaded gun and opened fire through the door after seeing a youth emerge from the property and expose himself.
Newcastle Local Court yesterday heard that 81-year-old Owen Bernard Wilkins swung into action after a teenage girl he knew pulled up in her car outside his Caves Beach home.
Two of her teenage friends ran from a neighbouring house to see her, with one pulling down his shorts and exposing his genitals.
Wilkins saw the incident but failed to realise the humorous intent. Infuriated, he marched to the neighbour's house and barged in. "Who is he? If I find out I'm going to slit his throat," the retired factory worker demanded, according to police.
The boy's uncle Todd Kirkwood told Wilkins to leave and pushed him out the front door. Wilkins returned armed with an antique .22 revolver.
He was met at the door by Mr Kirkwood, who refused to let him in.
The grandfather pulled out the tiny gun and pointed it at his neighbour's head, telling him: "Don't you know who I am? I can get you hurt."
But the threat failed to have the desired effect. "That's a friggin' cap gun you bloody dickhead. Just p. . . off," Mr Kirkwood replied, mistaking the weapon for a toy.
With that, Wilkins fired a shot through the screen door, the bullet whizzing past Mr Kirkwood's right ear and lodging in the ceiling. The pair then wrestled on the front lawn before Mr Kirkwood managed to disarm Wilkins and call police. When officers arrived, Wilkins told them only: "I want my pistol back."
He pleaded guilty yesterday to discharging a firearm in a manner likely to injure.
Magistrate Elaine Truscott said the incident was "a bit like that movie Gran Torino . . . just without the car".
In the movie, Clint Eastwood's character threatens his neighbour with a gun after catching him trying to steal his prized Gran Torino.
She said Wilkins had "completely over-reacted" to the boy pulling down his shorts and had failed to realise the context of the incident.
Speaking after the sentencing, Mr Kirkwood said he didn't realise the danger he was in last November until the gun went off.
Ms Truscott placed Wilkins on a five-year good behaviour bond but stopped short of a jail sentence due to his age and his clean record.
What the fuck? How can anyone in their right mind justify these sort of actions? The old cunt should be locked up, he is obviously a danger to the community.
Lol @ comments
Comments on this story
- skinette of brisbane of qld Posted at 1:43 AM Today what a stupid old man ,about time he went to a nursing home , i think he was a bit jealous , bit of a sticky beak too ..Comment 1 of 24
- jim of oz Posted at 3:32 AM Today The old fool could have killed someone, if he was offended by him exposing himself then he should have called the police and made a complaint.Comment 2 of 24
- Nigel of Central Tablelands NSW Posted at 4:09 AM Today Actually, as i recall the movie, Clint did not go to the other familys house with a weapon. He defended his own property from criminals who were assaulting someone. As i recall, the family thanked him. At the end, did he go armed ? You obviously did not get what Clint was trying to say. To draw a comparison between this man & Clint is totally out of context & most generous to Wilkins. You should watch the movie sometime & think about it.Comment 3 of 24
- ted thorne of melbourne Posted at 6:04 AM Today Humorous intent??? What is this, a poor attempt to justify the decay of social morals including respect? If the person wants to expose himself then surely he can do so in the privacy of his home, and not out on the public streets. Why doesn't the writer just write an article about why do we HAVE to wear clothes in public, as afterall its all a "humerous intent".Comment 4 of 24
- Jack Posted at 6:28 AM Today The judge should have jailed the old bastard.Comment 5 of 24
- Petal of Cronulla Posted at 7:51 AM Today I like his style.Comment 6 of 24
- Go Grandpa of Melbourne Posted at 8:11 AM Today Mr Wilkins, you are my new hero.Comment 7 of 24
- Steve of Wenty Posted at 8:15 AM Today Nothing for the bozo who exposed himself in public???? Sign of the times.................Comment 8 of 24
- Zak of Sydney Posted at 8:19 AM Today Old skool this man is...id be proud to call him my grandfather..Comment 9 of 24
- mickey of sydney Posted at 8:28 AM Today So he goes into a neighbours property and threatens him with a gun and for that he gets a bond. This joker could have killed someone. The law is an ass.Comment 10 of 24
- billiebottleburps of whoopwhoop Posted at 8:32 AM Today This is the result of the do gooders policy of "let em do what they like" .Every society has social laws ,its just ours have gone out the window .i recently had a friend whose 13 yr old girl tried to have him arrested for kidnap because he wouldnt let her roam the streets of a nite.He had an uphill battle because he had docs,the police,and the whole judicial system against him .They all knew what was going on , but there hands were tied. Society going down the drain , quality of life going down the drain.And really we only have the Honorable Men of Politics (hahaha) to blame .Comment 11 of 24
- Ces of Parramatta Posted at 9:25 AM Today Maybe that's what needs to happen nowadays for the teenage generation to learn a bit of respect for others. I know that pulling a gun on others is a bit extreme, but it's also sickening watching teenagers nowadays. No Respect for others and specially for themselves.Comment 12 of 24
- wm of sydney Posted at 9:58 AM Today It was a very silly and dangerous thing to do but I can understand how frustrated older people get when they see the behaviour of some of our youth. The police need to confiscate the weapon and ensure he does not have access to any further firearms. Also the young man needs to taught some manners and morals.Comment 13 of 24
- Carly of Sydney Posted at 10:05 AM Today "Don't you know who I am?" lol at this old senile fart! you are an idiot who thinks he is still living in a time when old white men ruled...oh...hang on...they still do :-(Comment 14 of 24
- RJB of my desk Posted at 10:09 AM Today What does the context of the incident mean? Is it OK to flash your genitals in public provided it is meant to be funny? Bet there isn't many diplomas hanging in that household.Comment 15 of 24
- Marina Currie of Sydney Posted at 10:10 AM Today I bet Owen had just had enough and snapped, I'm not surprised more people aren't considering the state of our society today and what fool goes out and greets a young girl by flashing his bits at her? Would he do that in front of his own Mother or Grandmother let alone Father or Grandfather, the answer is most likely no unless he totally comes from a dsyfunctional family, which as he is Gen Y is quite possible. Time for society to harden up on young fools like this, Owen didn't handle it correctly but he probably had what Barry Hall calls a brain snap and let's face the kid's Father obviously didn't give a damn and did not show Owen any respect. The problem with my Generation, which is X is we are lousy parents we want to be friends with our kids, be cool hang out with them anything goes, wake up bozo's our kids don't need friends they need parents, so start acting like it and show some respect. I hope Owen got a slap on the wrist because I understand where he is coming from.Comment 16 of 24
- GM of Lane Cove Posted at 10:20 AM Today What a legend. Its about time someone taught these young people a lesson. Its a shame the uncle didnt let him scare the crap out of the juvenile delinquent, mind you it could have got real nasty.Comment 17 of 24
- James of Sydney Posted at 10:24 AM Today We need more men like this guyComment 18 of 24
- Huskies Posted at 10:46 AM Today We should give Mr Wilkins as medal for his bravery. I'm proud of this man.Comment 19 of 24
- mick of perth Posted at 10:46 AM Today Lucky he's in Newy and not Victoria, the constabulary down there would have blown him to bits and left him laying in rings of taser cables !Comment 20 of 24
- tso1 of Baradine Posted at 10:47 AM Today give him a medal, i bet the little bastard who mooned him got off scott free. although i suspect he wont do it again in a hurry.Comment 21 of 24
- mickey of sydney Posted at 11:02 AM Today To the people supporting this fellow, are you serious??? He shot at someone!!! And not even the one who had exposed himself, but someone trying to keep an armed lunatic out of their home. Time to lock up grandpa before he kills someone.Comment 22 of 24
- Deep Throat Posted at 2:58 PM Today Ethnic gangs will disappear overnight if we keep Mr. Wilkins as the police chief. Go Mr. Wilkins!!!Comment 23 of 24
- Angus of Adelaide Posted at 3:08 PM Today This story really does touch on what's a deeper, more troubling question facing our society: What is wrong with the old people today? There was a time when old people had respect for others, when they'd come to your front door with a batch of fresh scones instead of a loaded handgun. It wasn't like this when I was a kid. My grandad was a friendly, white-haired old man who could entertain kids for hours with magic tricks instead of firearms. But today's generation of old people are just violent hoodlums. What they need is a good dose of national service! A year in the army would straighten out these mollycoddled old ruffians and set them on the right path.Comment 24 of 24
What the fuck are these people high or what? Granted this is the DT lol. Haha comment 24 is gold though.
