Bradley James Rowe: Oxley man sentenced for shooting arrows in Officeworks carpark

An Oxley man has escaped a jail sentence after being caught firing off arrows in a popular Officeworks carpark.

A Brisbane man has landed in court for shooting arrows, while shirtless, in the carpark of a popular Officeworks outlet.

Bradley James Rowe, of Oxley, who was on probation at the time for unlawful possession of weapons, pleaded guilty in Richlands Magistrates Court on Friday (June 3) to one count of going armed so as to cause fear.

The court heard that on December 19 last year, the 49-year-old was spotted shooting arrows towards the office supplies store at Oxley.

Terrified witnesses asked him to stop but he continued firing arrows.

Rowe’s lawyer said while his client did commit the offence he had no intention of scaring people and was shooting at a target on a wall.

Bradley James Rowe pictured leaves Richlands Magistrates Court.

“My client had a compound bow,” the lawyer said.

“A compound bow is the type of bow used in the sport of archery, (which) he has been involved (in) for some 15 years.”

He said Rowe was simply “sighting-in’’ his bow.

“It had been his intention to sight-in the bow after he had been to Officeworks,” he said.

“He got there early and he decided while he was waiting in the car park, which was almost empty, to sight-in his bow.

“There’s no allegation that these arrows were going astray.

“So that’s what was happening and that’s why he had the bow and why he was committing the offence.”

The court heard Rowe was unemployed due to a scooter accident, which left him on crutches.

Magistrate Ross Woodford sentenced Rowe to six months’ jail but suspended it in full for one year.