Police drop charge against 'Brave Dave' who helped neighbours in wild backyard fight
A Gunnedah truckie who ran next door while partially naked to help his neighbours during a wild and scary backyard fight is celebrating after police dropped a charge against him.
David Jamieson, dubbed Brave Dave, said he was "overwhelmed" by the support from across the nation after his story went public on A Current Affair.
"I was at work washing my truck when the phone rang and I dropped the hose when the lawyer told me they dropped the charge," he said.
David Jamieson, dubbed Brave Dave, said he was "overwhelmed" by the support from across the nation after his story went public on A Current Affair. A Current Affair
"It took a lot of weight off my shoulders."
A petition to "save Brave Dave" had reached more than 1700 signatures.
Mr Jamieson woke to screaming on a Saturday night in May 2024 and watched from his porch in nothing but his undies as a group of men broke through next door's locked gate.
"Who's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?" one man yelled.
Security footage shows Mr Jamieson's neighbour Robyn Watts holding a baseball bat to warn off the group when husband Wayne emerged from the home with a loaded shotgun.
"Someone could have ended up dying over there that night," Mr Jamieson said.
The shotgun discharged as intruder Kyle Cloake wrestled Watts to the ground.
A Gunnedah truckie who ran next door while partially naked to help his neighbours during a wild and scary backyard fight is celebrating after police dropped a charge against him. A Current Affair
Despite threats he'd be "stabbed", Mr Jamieson ran next door to help and managed to separate the men before he was king hit by Cloake.
"I was more concerned that my neighbours were gonna get murdered in their driveway," Mr Jamieson said.
"When I was lying on the ground I stuck my foot up and he went … and turned it at 90 degrees.
Mr Jamieson received victim's compensation over the attack but rather than a bravery medal, received a court attendance notice more than a year later.
He was charged with affray.
A police report claimed the actions of this 66-year-old would "cause a person of reasonable firmness to fear for their personal safety".
David Jamieson received victim's compensation over the attack but rather than a bravery medal, received a court attendance notice more than a year later. A Current Affair
His case had been set aside for five days in October.
"I'm probably looking at a 50 grand bill," he said at the time.
It was a devastating blow for the trucker and his wife, Anne, who'd been saving for an overseas holiday.
She said her husband was a "good man who did nothing wrong" and didn't deserve to be treated like a criminal.
"It's wrong," she said.
Mr Jamieson thanked "Australia and A Current Affair" for the win and said he'd celebrate with a beer and barbecue.
"They actually got me two pairs of boxer shorts the other day," he said with a laugh
The wild confrontation started after the Wattses warned teenagers to get off their houseboat parked in the street.
Mr Jamieson said the couple feared the teenagers would steal the boat given the high number of theft cases in the Gunnedah region.
"Crime is out of control here," he said.
Despite the stress, Mr Jamieson said he'd always look out for his neighbours
"I could have been nude and it still wouldn't have stopped me," he said.
"I was just doing what I was brought up to do, help your friends."
Watts was charged with using an unauthorised firearm and was found guilty with no conviction recorded.
Cloake pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and intimidation and was released on good behaviour without a conviction.
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