Man wielding 'assault rifle' led to armed police callout
REPORTS of a man in a gas mask pointing an assault rifle at queuing commuters at traffic lights led to the emergency dispatch of armed police officers, the Royal Court has heard.
Prosecutors said it turned out that the weapon carried by Benjamin Troalic, 33, on Le Bouet, near Beeton's fish and chip shop traffic lights, was a de-activated BB gun.
Moments earlier, at about 7am on 15 December, Mr Troalic is said to have spray-painted an offensive message onto the boards of a building site behind the Waitrose and B&Q car park.
He has pleaded not guilty to the charge of possessing an imitation firearm and two of criminal damage – the first for the building site graffiti and the second at what was his home address, Roseville, Le Bouet – a Guernsey Housing Association property.
As the trial opened yesterday, Advocate Samuel Steel, representing Mr Troalic, said pleas would be argued on the basis of insanity.
A psychiatric expert will give evidence today.
However, Crown Advocate Rory Calderwood said the prosecution disagreed with a number of conclusions the expert had already made in a report submitted to the court.
