The headlines in 1968 Courier Mail. 

STARTING PISTOL FIRED IN COURT.

Brisbane barrister Mr C J Bennett invited a policeman in the Magistrates Court yesterday to "shoot him".

For those who missed the court room theatrics of the criminal barrister Col Bennett, you missed a treat. You never knew what to expect in his cross examination. Bennett was also the Labour member of parliament for South Brisbane who passed in 2002 aged 82. He was the last of a long line of colourful legal fraternity who graced our courts

As a member of parliament for many years he loved nothing better than raising unsavoury  stories about alleged police misbehaviour under privilege. Clients would flock to him because of his apparent disdain towards police.

We had many a tussle and he would always open up with the same question.

Witness hast week you gave evidence about a paint comparison this week it is about firearms. You are a jack of all trades and master of none. Why should the court believe you this time?

This case involved the unlawful  possession of a starting pistol. This one was in the design of a semi automatic pistol in which blanks were fed along the barrel in a clip with an ejection port mid way along the barrel. They were legal in NSW, but not in Qld. Bennett conceded that it was a starting pistol, which was harmless and  could not injured anyone.

After much legal argument the Magistrate asked me to show the court how it could harm anyone. I loaded the starting pistol with a blank cartridges and placed a paper clip binder on top of the ejection port and went to a safe corner in the court and fired it. The binder hit the ceiling then bounced around the floor

Bennett then invited me to the fire the pistol at him I  declined saying that if the binder was adhered to the ejection port and fired at close range I could injure him.

Magistrate found him guilty of the offence. What was Col Bennett going to come with at our next encounter.