Roy Leader allegedly ‘brandished’ a crossbow during a mass gathering on a Salford street in AprilA scene was put in place on Romney Street(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)

A man who allegedly wielded a crossbow following a ‘large scale disturbance’ on a Salford street has pleaded guilty to affray.

Roy Leader, 54, was charged with possessing an offensive weapon and affray following the incident on Romney Street on Monday April 14 of this year.

Appearing via video link from HMP Forest Bank at Manchester Crown Court on Wednesday (May 21), Leader pleaded guilty to affray but not guilty to possession of an offensive weapon.

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Leader was charged after a mass gathering in Salford during which a group of ‘around 60’ teenagers were reported to be having a party inside the house before the disturbance spilled into the street.

The defendant, of Littleton Road, Salford, was then alleged to have ‘wielded’ a crossbow at people.

Romney Street was sealed off following the incident(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)

Prosecuting, Miss Kate Gaskell said there was ‘some discussion’ over whether the prosecution would accept the plea to affray as a resolution. She said the crossbow had ‘no bolts loaded’, but that footage from the incident appeared to show Leader ‘brandishing’ the weapon at people ‘to scare them’.

She added there had been ‘no attempts’ to use the crossbow as a weapon.

Judge Sarah Johnstone adjourned the case until June 25.

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