A suburban Canberra party took a dramatic turn on Saturday night, when an angry neighbour allegedly came storming down the street and shot a reveller in the head with a nail gun at point-blank range.
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Details of the startling incident were canvassed in the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday, when the alleged assailant and his son were granted strict conditional bail.
In documents tendered to the court, police say about 10 people attended the party on McCredie Street in Taylor.
About 11pm, 49-year-old construction company owner Darko Felding and his 20-year-old son Zachary Felding both allegedly armed themselves with a cordless nail gun and left their home, which is several doors away, to confront the partygoers.
Upon arrival, the elder Felding is accused of firing a volley of nails towards the party host, her friends and the house.
The host's male cousin was among revellers inside the house, and police claim he rushed outside and pleaded with Darko Felding to stop.
The 49-year-old is alleged to have responded by firing several times at the man from about two metres away.
"One nail struck [the alleged victim] in the middle of the forehead, piercing his skin and causing him to bleed," court documents say.
"The nail was embedded in [his] forehead."
A scuffle ensued, according to police, with the alleged victim wrestling against both father and son in an attempt to disarm them.
Eventually, those involved retreated to their respective houses.
Investigating officers say that when they turned up at the scene at 11.17pm, they found the alleged victim bleeding from the head.
"Police also observed a large number of 7cm long nails ... around the front of the residence and in the street," court documents say.
"Some of the nails had blood on them."
A few minutes later, police found Darko Felding wearing a torn singlet and bleeding from his left eyebrow at his home.
He is said to have told officers that there was a verbal argument earlier in the evening, and that he had gone to "sort it out".
When police told him he was under arrest for assaulting "the guy down the road with the nail sticking out of his forehead", Darko Felding allegedly replied: "I f---ing hope he's got a nail sticking out of his head. I shot at everyone."
The 49-year-old was subsequently charged with committing an act endangering life, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and possessing an offensive weapon with intent.
Zachary Felding, meanwhile, was charged with affray and possessing an offensive weapon with intent.
The 20-year-old fronted court on Monday in a jumper emblazoned with "Paslode", the name of the company that manufactured the nail guns allegedly involved in the incident.
Prosecutor Michael Gemmell did not oppose his release on bail, but argued that Darko Felding should be remanded in custody.
Mr Gemmell said the partygoers' safety might be in danger, with the 49-year-old's criminal record showing five previous assaults in an indication that he had a "capacity for violence".
"[The incident was] retaliation for an ongoing dispute that is unresolved," the prosecutor said.
But lawyer Tom Taylor, representing both father and son, said there would be "a contest as to the facts".
While conceding that the allegations were serious, Mr Taylor entered pleas of not guilty on behalf of Darko Felding and said the elder man had suffered a broken nose and jaw.
He indicated that the partygoers may have in fact been the aggressors, and mentioned a suggestion that the revellers had threatened to shoot Darko Felding's wife earlier in the evening.
Magistrate Beth Campbell said she was initially inclined to refuse bail, but the contents of a form prepared by a police officer suggested to her that appropriate conditions could be put in place.
Both defendants were released and ordered not to have any contact with a list of people who attended the party, along with several other conditions.
Darko Felding is due back in court on February 8 next year, while his son is set to return on December 21.
