A website designer threatened a man with a crossbow and assaulted him after his pregnant girlfriend called him for help, a court heard.
Having been arrested on a warrant and remanded in custody overnight, Adam Jack, 33, appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court this morning where he admitted assault by beating and threatening behaviour.
Before the case could be heard, district judge Joanna Dickens questioned why the defendant, of Burns Way, Stratton, wasn’t charged with possessing an offensive weapon. Keith Ballinger, prosecuting, spoke with a senior prosecutor and confirmed the Crown Prosecution Service did not wish to amend the charge.
Mr Ballinger told the court that on 4 September last year, Jack was contacted by his seven-month pregnant girlfriend to say that her former partner – named Mr S for the purpose of this report – was trying to collect his son. He believed the contact had been arranged, but she disputed this.
She had fled to a friend’s address where she waited for her boyfriend, the defendant. It’s said Mr S followed her there and waited outside, believing he was due to have contact with his child.
A short time later, Jack arrived and an altercation ensued. Mr S told police the defendant shouted and screamed at him, saying “I’m going to f**k you up” before leaning into his vehicle and assaulting him as he tried to pull him from his vehicle. Mr S also claims that Jack licked his face during to attack.
During the incident, Jack is said to have brandished a crossbow – pointing it at Mr S. He asked the defendant what he was going to do with it, to which he replied “I’m going to whack you with it” before walking towards Mr S, causing him significant concern.
The victim suffered injuries to his nose and cheek during the altercation but did not sustain any lasting damage. It’s said the incident lasted between 30 and 40 minutes.
Harriet Heard, defending, said her client pleaded guilty to the charge of assault on the basis he did not punch Mr S, nor did he lick his face. He accepts injuring him by trying to pull him out of his car.
He fully accepts he threatened his victim with the crossbow, but claims it was already in his car ahead of a weekly target practice session with his friend. The weapon was not loaded with bolts at the time.
Ms Heard added that Jack had tried to protect his pregnant girlfriend from Mr S, who was trying to take their child. He claims Mr S started the altercation by running at the defendant, causing him to feel “petrified”.
She said Jack and Mr S were grappling with each other and said her client accepts the injuries he caused during this.
Judge Dickens said she was “astonished” he had not been charged with possession of an offensive weapon.
Adding: “The court doesn’t have to accept your mitigation, which is frankly unbelievable… you expect us to believe he happened to have a crossbow in the car for target practice.
“Even if I gave your client the benefit of the doubt, he’s still got it [the crossbow] out… it seems to me this crosses the custody threshold by a very long way.”
Ordering an all options pre-sentence report, she adjourned the case until 9 June for sentencing at Swindon Magistrates’ Court. Jack was released on unconditional bail.
Judge Dickens disqualified herself from the sentencing hearing due to her comments regarding whether or not he was charged correctly, but told the defendant “prison is a very real possibility”.
