Qld cop shooter 'meant to kill'

Gold Coast dog squad officer Gary Hamrey was shot in the face by a determined thief who aimed to kill rather than surrender, a court has heard.

The crown has closed its case in the attempted murder trial of Labrador man Robert George Speedy, who shot Sergeant Hamrey with a .22 rifle after holding up the Arundel Tavern in September 2013.

In his closing address, crown prosecutor Phil McCarthy told the jury the logical conclusion from the circumstances was that Speedy had intended to kill Sgt Hamrey.

"It was fight or flight and the defendant chose to fight," Mr McCarthy told the Brisbane Supreme Court.

The six-day trial has heard Speedy and an accomplice stole more than $40,000 from the tavern's safe.

They were tracked by police and cornered in a dark Parkwood backyard, with Speedy firing on Sgt Hamrey and sparking a shootout.

The police officer was shot in the cheek but stayed conscious and managed to return fire.

On the first day of his trial Speedy tried to plead guilty to the lesser charge of wounding but the crown rejected the plea.

During his closing address, defence barrister Rob East suggested a panicked and drug-affected Speedy had fired to get rid of the light from Sgt Hamrey's torch so he could escape.

"Shooting a gun at somebody doesn't automatically mean that you intend to kill them," he said.

But Mr McCarthy argued Speedy's aim was guided by the light from Sgt Hamrey's torch, which he held next to his head.

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that there was a human being in close proximity to that light," the prosecutor said.

"This was no warning shot simply to scare a police officer off."

Justice Ann Lyons is due to sum up the trial on Wednesday before the jury retires to consider a verdict.