Northern Ireland

Man had miracle escape after being shot accidentally, court hears

Details emerged at Ballymena Magistrates Court
Details emerged at Ballymena Magistrates Court Details emerged at Ballymena Magistrates Court

A MAN had a miracle escape from death when he was shot by an accidental blast from a legally held gun while travelling to a shooting expedition, a court has heard.

Instead of taking to the mountains of the Antrim Plateau, the man, who was in the front seat of a van, was shot in the hand after the gun was not property secured and fell out of a case. The injuries were non life-threatening.

Details emerged at Ballymena Magistrates Court yesterday where a Belfast man, now living in Carnlough, appeared in connection with the matter.

He admitted a charge of failing to comply with a condition regarding a firearms certificate.

James Francis Patrick Ross (48), of Whitehill Road, failed to comply with a condition on March 13 last year that "firearms and ammunition being conveyed in a vehicle must be hidden from view and should be secured to an anchorage point or contained in a securely fixed and locked box within the said vehicle".

A prosecutor said friends were in a van along with legally held firearms registered to Mr Ross but the weapons were left unsecured in the back and one of the guns "went off" injuring one of the men.

The prosecutor said it was an accident and no other charges were brought.

A defence lawyer said Mr Ross was normally "absolutely meticulous" about the firearms and on the date in question friends came to visit him and they had gone in a friend's vehicle to do some shooting in the area.

The lawyer said the guns were in cases but the weapon which went off had fallen out of the case.

Mr Ross was given a two year conditional discharge by District Judge Peter King.