A visitor to Appleby Horse Fair has appeared in court after his illegal possession of an air rifle sparked an armed police response.
Carlisle Magistrates’ Court heard this morning that a concerned member of the public in Burrells, in the Eden Valley, raised the alarm at around 11am on May 30.
“They had seen a male placing what they described as guns into the back of a vehicle,” said prosecutor Diane Jackson.
“At that time, roads were extremely busy as caravans and vehicles were making their way to Appleby fair.”
Firearms officers attended the scene. “An air rifle in a case was located and seized,” said the prosecutor. The rifle was not loaded.
Shane Lee Wilsher, 27, was the man with the air rifle. In court he admitted the illegal possession of an air weapon in a public place at Burrells.
Defence lawyer Noel Griffiths, mitigating, said Wilsher was a member of the travelling community who was heading to Appleby Horse Fair at the time.
He had bought the air rifle legitimately two years ago and used it on private land in order to hunt. He took the rifle to Cumbria intending to use it on private land to hunt for his tea.
“He had taken the rifle out of the vehicle to show it to a friend,” said Mr Griffiths. It was not loaded, nor was it pointed at anyone. It had, said the lawyer, been an offence born out of a degree of foolishness and ignorance of the law.
Magistrates imposed a a 12-month conditional discharge. Wilsher will not be punished during that period unless he commits another offence. He was also ordered to pay a £111 court bill.
