A man accused of fatally shooting a seasoned police officer on a rural property is now facing further charges related to firearms and drugs.
Constable Keith Smith, aged 57, tragically lost his life in North Motton, located in Tasmania’s north-west, on June 16. He was assisting another officer to deliver a court-ordered repossession notice at the time of the incident.
On June 19, Leigh Geoffrey Sushames, 46, was charged with murder, attempted murder, and aggravated assault.
In a recent appearance at the Devonport Magistrates Court, Sushames confronted those charges along with 10 new allegations, including possession of an unregistered firearm.
The additional charges also involve accusations of holding a firearm without the proper license, as well as possessing a silencer and a controlled plant.
Sushames has not yet entered a plea for any of the charges. The case has been adjourned and is scheduled to resume on December 17.
Sushames’ lawyer Greg Richardson said for “very good reasons” it would be advantageous for his client to attend court in person at the next appearance.
Richardson said he was awaiting a report before a plea could be entered.
Richardson in October described the case, which has been before the court several times, as complex.
Smith’s death was the first fatal shooting of an officer in Tasmania in more than a century.
He was farewelled with full ceremonial police honours and a street procession in late June, and remembered as his family’s protector and a dedicated community-focused officer.
Smith received several honours, including the commissioner’s medal in 2011 and the national police service medal in 2016.
