A MAN who hid a crossbow in his wheelchair when he was in Durham one afternoon has been jailed for having the weapon in a public place.

Kevin Conner Parker was spotted on closed circuit television cameras with the weapon on Durham’s Riverside on the afternoon of Friday, November 19, last year.

The 38-year-old had hidden the weapon inside a sleeping bag which he had wrapped around himself, in his wheelchair.

But thanks to an eagle-eyed CCTV operator who saw him and felt something was not right, Durham police were alerted to his suspicious behaviour.

Firearms officers were deployed to the area and quickly found and intercepted him.

Parker, of Briardale Avenue, Consett, in County Durham, was arrested and subsequently charged with possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.

At Durham Crown Court on Tuesday, January 11, he was sentenced to two years in prison for the offence.

He was also given another six months in custody for breaching a previous suspended sentence, which he received for having a blade in a public place.

Neighbourhood Inspector for Durham City, Inspector Dave Clarke, said: “Thankfully no one was hurt during this incident due to the quick response from both the CCTV operator and firearms officers.

“We will continue to work around the clock to keep the public safe and hope Parker considers his behaviour whilst in prison.”

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can also follow our dedicated County Durham Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.

For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054