Man admits firing crossbow at 46-year-old dad in Easterhouse

A man hit a 46-year-old dad in the chest with a crossbow bolt after his grandfather's house was pelted with a stone, a court was told today.

Dylan Gowans, 23, from Easterhouse, discharged the crossbow in the direction of a group of people he believed were responsible for throwing the stone, and hit Archibald Climson, who was out looking for his 21-year-old daughter.

Mr Climson had spoken to the group to ask if they had seen his daughter and was hit on the left side of his chest.

At the High Court in Glasgow Gowans, who was originally charged with attempted murder, admitted a reduced charge of culpably and recklessly discharging the crossbow to the danger of Mr Climson's life.

The offence was committed around 1.30am on September 11, 2016, at Lochdochart Road, Easterhouse.

Prosecutor Liam Ewing said: 'Mr Climson was taken to Glasgow Royal Infirmary with a collapsed lung.

“The consultant who treated him that the the insertion of a sharp object into the chest was potentially life threatening due to the risk that major structures could be damaged.”

Mr Climson recovered from the injury, but died from an unrelated condition last year.

The court heard that Gowans, who was wearing a red tracksuit, was spotted on CCTV with a crossbow.

When interviewed by police he said he had never touched thew crossbow or bolt.

However, when the bolt was examined his DNA was found on it.

Solicitor advocate Brian Fitzpatrick said: “It was because of the stone being thrown he did this. There was no intent to fire it at anyone to their injury. I think there was no actual danger to Mr Climson's life, although there was the potential.”

Judge Lord Mulholland told Gowans: “It is a serious matter to have a crossbow in a public place in Glasgow and discharge it, even though the Crown accept you did not intend to injure Mr Climson.”

Sentence was deferred on unemployed Gowans until next month in order to prepare a background report on him