Judges urged to get tough on gun crime

The South Australian Police Commissioner has called on judges to throw the book at gun-toting criminals.

Police say they are winning the war on firearms, as they are also following strong leads on the shooting murder of a man at a car wash in Adelaide’s northern suburbs on Sunday.

The man was shot in the head and the hip at about 6.40am on Sunday near a car wash at Parafield Gardens, near the intersection of Kings Rd and Main North Rd.

He was rushed to hospital by ambulance, but died shortly after arrival.

While the victim has not yet been formally identified, police say they believe it is a 39-year-old man from the north-eastern suburbs.

A post mortem was carried out today.

Police say they are getting somewhere in the fight against firearms, citing nearly 500 arrests or reports for firearms offences in the past six months, and 80 gun bans.

Commissioner Gary Burns has welcomed the wider powers given to police by the Government, but says it is time for the courts to get tougher.

“I’m more for strong penalties handed out by the courts to support the legislation that the government has provided because ultimately, what we are talking about here, is community safety,” he said.

Commissioner Burns said the punishment must fit the crime.

“I think the penalties are adequate, it’s up to the courts to apply those penalties,” he said.

Meanwhile, police have still made no arrests over a brutal robbery at a Thebarton workshop on Saturday where a man was shot in the ankle.