Zachary James Bates (25), of Crumlin Road near Belfast, said he had been unaware the crossbow was in the boot of his dad's car which he had borrowed to go to a hot food takeaway in Antrim town on December 11 last year. The accused denied a charge that 'without lawful authority or reasonable excuse had with you in a public place namely, Greystone Road, Antrim, an offensive weapon namely, a crossbow and arrows'. Advertisement Advertisement Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to NorthernIrelandWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.
He successfully contested the case at Antrim Magistrates' Court sitting in Ballymena. A prosecutor said at 9.30pm on December 11 police stopped a car at a vehicle checkpoint on the Greystone Road.
The defendant was driving and in the boot a "crossbow was present with an arrow loaded" and "three further arrows" at the side. The accused told police he was unaware it was in the vehicle and that the crossbow belonged to his father. The defendant told police if he had known the crossbow was in the boot he would have removed it before driving.
Advertisement Advertisement The accused told police the crossbow was used by his dad for dealing with "vermin," the prosecutor said. Giving evidence in court, the defendant said his dad used the crossbow at their family skip hire business where he "hunts vermin, like rats, because of the rubbish". In reply to the prosecution lawyer who asked if it would not have been "more effic.
