Mag wheel stoush shooting 'accidental'

A man who shot a stranger in the stomach during a fight over a set of mag wheels did not intentionally do it, a Perth court has heard.

The District Court of Western Australia heard the victim and his brother went to a unit on Brighton Road, Scarborough, on the night of February 21 last year to retrieve some wheels he had loaned to his friend after the pair had had a falling out.

The victim was upset because his friend had called his grandmother, telling her he was "using drugs again".

When the brothers knocked on the friend's door to ask for lock nuts, which they needed to remove the wheels from his car, a physical fight ensued.

The brothers then went to a grass verge where they started to remove the wheels but a car sped up to them and another man, David John Stipanich, jumped out brandishing a sawn-off rifle, which he pointed at the victim, saying "you're messing with the wrong person", the court heard.

Stipanich has gone on trial, charged with grievous bodily harm with intent.

The victim, who did not know Stipanich, was shot twice in the stomach.

"I just felt like a warm, burning feeling in my stomach," the victim said.

The brothers sped off and flagged down a police car, asking officers to call an ambulance.

Defence lawyer Seamus Rafferty told the court Stipanich did not take a gun to the Scarborough property and did not intentionally shoot the victim.

"What happened was unfortunate but simply happened while they struggled with the gun," Mr Rafferty said.

The lawyer questioned the credibility of the victim, saying he had either lied or been mistaken in telling police Stipanich had smashed in the driver's side window with the butt of the rifle.

The trial continues.