A man will face court charged with alleged firearm and animal cruelty offences occurring in the state's west.
On Monday 8 September 2025 officers from the Rural Crime Prevention Team commenced inquiries – under Strike Force Salwood - into alleged illegal hunting on a rural property along Lower Lila Road, Lower Lila, approximately 80km north of Bourke.
Officers were informed that the property was leased for commercial and hunting activities subject to various conditions to a party of six persons.
It will be alleged that between Sunday 7 September 2025 and Monday 8 September 2025 two sheep and 16 goats were shot on the leased property as well as a neigbhouring property that hunting was not permitted on.
On the same day (Monday 8 September 2025), police spoke with a 22-year-old man at the location where several firearms and ammunition were seized. The man was also issued with a firearm suspension notice.
Following extensive inquiries officers executed a search warrant at a home in Hamlyn Terrace about 6.30am yesterday (Tuesday 16 December 2025) where a number of electronic devices were seized.
The 22-year-old man was arrested at the premises and taken to Wyong Police Station where he was charged with four offences including:
- Fire firearm in or near public place
- Fire firearm into building or onto inclosed lands
- Enter private land to hunt animal w/o owner consent
- Commit an act of aggravated cruelty upon an animal
He was refused bail to appear at Bail Division – Local Court 6 on the same day, where he was granted conditional bail to appear at Bourke Local Court on Monday 2 February 2026.
Investigations under Strike Force Salwood are ongoing.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au Information is managed on a confidential basis. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
