Man fined for firing air rifle in park

A MAN bought an air rifle on an internet auction site before shooting a pellet at a tree in a park as children played nearby, a court has heard.Matthew Sleightholme, 33, was arrested after firing one pellet in Halesworth park, on April 16, said prosecutor Mitzy Bond.

A MAN bought an air rifle on an internet auction site before shooting a pellet at a tree in a park as children played nearby, a court has heard.

Matthew Sleightholme, 33, was arrested after firing one pellet in Halesworth park, on April 16, said prosecutor Mitzy Bond.

She told Lowestoft Magistrates' Court: 'There were a number of people in the park at the time, including children. The defendant appeared to have been drinking.'

Sleightholme, of Cleveland Road, Lowestoft, pleaded guilty to possessing an air weapon in a public place when he appeared in court on Tuesday. He was fined �100, and ordered to pay total costs of �58. Magistrates also ordered the destruction of the rifle.

Richard Mann, for Sleightholme, said he client bought the weapon on Ebay and did not believe he was doing anything wrong by firing it in the park, having previously seen people use airguns to shoot at targets there.