But the owner of the crossbow, David Aitken, maintained that the weapon was on his wall as a decoration.

Aitken, 21, of Ridgeway Road, was charged with possession of prohibited weapon and also possession of 0.48 grams of cannabis.

Prosecuting in Magistrates' Court, Police Sgt. Earl Kirby said the Police had entered the living room of the house, on February 11, and seen a partially broken cigarette and cigarette rolling papers.

They then went into a bedroom and saw another partly broken cigarette and the crossbow and bolts on the wall.

Police also found a paper twist containing plant material, which was found to be cannabis.

Aitken told Police he had been given the crossbow and bolts by his brother.

They were just hanging on the wall.

Senior Magistrate the Wor. Will Francis ordered that the weapons be disposed of by Police. He fined Aitken a total of $650.

A Smith's man was fined $100 for possession of cannabis after he acted suspiciously while being questioned by Police.

Karim Ronald Francis, 24, of Halfway Lane, was on a motorcycle with a friend close to the Edmund Gibbons Nature Reserve, in Devonshire, when spotted by uniformed Police officers.

Sgt. Kirby said: "The officers became suspicious of the defendant, and he attempted to ride away. Both men were searched.'' A twist, made from a yellow envelope, was found on Francis containing 0.33 grams of cannabis.