A man who was caught on camera as he confronted two workmen with a crossbow has been ordered to surrender his weapons.
Marcin Sitarz wielded the weapon following an angry exchange with the workers, who had dug a ditch in front of his driveway and blocked his car in.
Inverness Sheriff Court ordered the forfeiture of two crossbows seized by police at the scene after placing Sitarz on a community payback order.
Crossbow confrontation caught on camera
The court had previously heard how frightened contractors filmed handyman Sitarz with the weapon.
The court was told that police were called to Tomnahurich Street on March 5 2022 and they seized two crossbows and arrested the 46-year-old.
Sitarz admitted a breach of the peace and his lawyer, John MacColl, told the court that there was a context to his client’s behaviour.
He said: “Workmen arrived at the street and without having the courtesy to tell my client that they were going to dig a ditch in front of his driveway, they just went ahead and did it, blocking his car in the process.
Lawyer said client was ‘playing’ with crossbow
“He had prior to this been playing with his crossbow in the garden, firing at targets.
“When he went back into his garden he stood by his fence and displayed the crossbow.
“It was essentially a spontaneous act, which he realises in hindsight was exceptionally foolish.”
After viewing the workmen’s video, Sheriff Robert Frazer said: “The footage was very concerning indeed.”
At today’s sentencing hearing, he placed Sitarz on a community payback order with 140 hours of unpaid work in the community, to be completed within one year.
Sheriff Frazer also granted a Crown motion for forfeiture of the two crossbows.