Woman avoids jail over shooting incident

A young woman who became embroiled in a Sydney shooting after a date with her new boyfriend went horribly wrong has avoided jail.

Shamiran Benjamin, 25, was in fear of her boyfriend, Ali Khaled, when she failed to tell police he fired a shot at a Sydney apartment unit in January 2012, the District Court in Sydney heard on Thursday.

The court heard Benjamin and Khaled, who had been dating for just two months, had a disastrous night out at the Star Casino, during which Khaled got drunk and argumentative.

The pair caught a taxi back to Wiley Park, where Benjamin got into her car and Khaled continued his tirade of abuse.

The noise woke several neighbours and one called out at Khaled, who responded by screaming abuse and firing his Glock pistol towards the building.

Benjamin drove away from the scene, before picking up Khaled as he ran down the road.

But minutes later, the couple were picked up by police who discovered the loaded gun under a car seat.

Benjamin pleaded guilty to concealing a serious indictable offence by not telling the officer about the shooting when initially questioned about it.

But sentencing her on Thursday, Judge Ray McLoughlin accepted she was frightened of Khaled and concerned for the welfare of her family.

Days before, Khaled had struck Benjamin's face, cutting her chin, the court heard.

"I accept the offence was completely out of character, committed while she was suffering from depression, anxiety and panic attacks and under a significant degree of stress from the violence and threats of violence from (Khaled)," the judge said.

He noted Benjamin's arrest brought "great shame" on her parents who disowned her for four months.

He said Benjamin, who was trained in childcare but works in recruitment, had "excellent" prospects of rehabilitation and was unlikely to re-offend.

He placed her on a two-year good behaviour bond, without recording a conviction.

Khaled was jailed for at least two-and-a-half years for firearm offences in the same court in November 2012.