Curfew for armed man in nature area
A man caught with a hunting knife and a loaded air rifle at an Ossett nature reserve has been hit with a curfew and told his weapons will be confiscated.
Christopher Sykes, 32, of Chickenley, was found with a rifle and a two-and-a-half inch blade during a police operation to crack down on crimes against wildlife at Healey Road reserve on Sunday, March 7.
A team of local police officers, led by Sgt Rick Sumner, carried out the initiative after local residents had complained about birds being shot on the site during weekends.
Richard Ogden, prosecuting, told Wakefield Magistrates Court how police saw two men approaching a car with weapons over their shoulders, and saw Sykes shoot his rifle into the ground.
When asked what they were doing, Sykes told officers they were 'just shooting things, squirrels and that'.
Sykes, unrepresented, told the court he didn't realise he was in a public place and thought the area was an off-road bike track.
He said the knife was for skinning rabbits he had shot.
Magistrate Keith Leason, sentencing Sykes to an eight-week curfew active on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, said: "It is clear that you didn't realise the full implications of carrying this bladed weapon – but we should just point out for you that the starting point for this kind of offence is prison."
The northwest neighbourhood policing team began patrols to cut down on wildlife crimes after a flurry of swan shootings were reported in the area.
In the same operation, a second man was given a caution for possession of an air weapon and a small amount of cannabis.
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Weather for Wakefield
Sunday 05 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 3 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 0 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North west
