A man accused of threatening to shoot the crew of a safety boat with a crossbow has been cleared of affray by Ipswich Crown Court.
 
Paul Webb was arrested in August last year after armed police were called to Oulton Broad following a complaint that he had brandished a crossbow and threatened a group of men onboard a safety boat.
 
The 53-year-old told a jury how he had previously made numerous complaints to authorities regarding the speed at which other vessels passed residential boats moored on the stretch of water.
 
Mr Webb, who has lived aboard his houseboat for six years, said many lake users failed to slow down, causing his boat to be buffeted by wash.  
 
On August 8th, the defendant had been attempting to dust off a large cobweb on his boat when he was knocked off his feet by a speedboat “zooming” past, followed by a safety boat.
 
Once the second vessel had passed, Mr Webb stuck his head out of a canvas canopy to ask the crew of the safety boat what was going on.
 
Mr Webb said he had taken down a crossbow, which was normally fixed to the ceiling, to remove the cobweb and was leaning on it for stability while talking to the men.
 
He denied waving the crossbow around and threatening to shoot the crew onboard the safety boat.
 
Mr Webb also said that he visited a friend’s boat later in the day and when returning home was met by armed police and ended up on the ground with guns pointing at his head.

The defendant was cleared of affray at Ipswich Crown Court earlier this week.