A man who allegedly shot a woman with a semi-automatic rifle near Pyramid Hill has pleaded not guilty to five charges.
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Abdul Elraoui, 69, appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.
He pleaded not guilty to reckless conduct endangering life, reckless conduct endangering serious injury, using a firearm as a prohibited person, intentionally causing injury, and recklessly causing injury.
Detective Senior Constable Matthew McCormack in June told the court, two men and a woman reversed a vehicle up the driveway of Mr Elraoui's property in the early hours of June 6 this year.
They parked near Mr Elraoui's house and one man remained in the car while the other man and the woman began to look around the front yard.
The court heard Mr Elraoui awoke to a disturbance about 3am and saw the lights of mobile phones outside.
It was alleged he armed himself with a .223 semi-automatic assault rifle hanging on the back door and went outside.
Mr Elraoui allegedly asked, "What are you doing here?" to which a female voice replied they had taken a wrong turn.
Mr Elraoui then allegedly fired two shots at one of the phone lights. The woman was hit in the left back rib area and the left tricep.
She and the man fled to the car, which took off at speed down the driveway.
It was alleged Mr Elraoui then fired another two shots at the fleeing vehicle, which was travelling at such a speed the driver was unable to take the corner out of the property correctly and crashed into a neighbour's gate.
The neighbour called triple zero and the woman was taken to Bendigo Health, where she underwent surgery.
The court heard she had suffered probable serious injury.
Senior Detective McCormack said Mr Elraoui handed himself into police and made "full and frank" admissions that were consistent with the observations of investigators.
Mr Elraoui told police he had been the victim of numerous thefts and attempted thefts in the months leading up to the incident, and he intended to injure the person so he could call police to arrest them.
Senior Detective McCormack said Mr Elraoui had his dog, a generator, a chainsaw and other tools stolen in May this year, which was the only incident reported to police.
The court heard Mr Elraoui did not hold a firearms licence.
Mr Elraoui pleaded not guilty to the charges. He will appear before the County Court in Bendigo next month for a directions hearing.
His bail has been extended to his next court date.
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