Newcastle’s £30m Amar Dedic Questioned by Police After Bow and Arrow Sighting

• Newcastle right back Amar Dedic, 24, was questioned by police on Wednesday after a member of the public reported two men carrying a bow and arrows near a Northumberland reservoir, per Daily Mail.
• Officers stopped a vehicle in Darras Hall and seized a bow and arrows; Northumbria Police say it is understood they were for recreational use and there was no threat to the public.
• Newcastle goalkeeper Mark Gillespie and former defender Paul Dummett turned up by chance while Dedic was being questioned, and Dedic is expected to be available for Saturday’s trip to Fulham.

Six Patrol Cars, a Reservoir Track and an Unlikely Pair of Visitors

A Newcastle United defender spent part of Wednesday afternoon answering police questions after a stranger spotted him with a bow and arrows in the Northumberland countryside. Amar Dedic, a 24-year-old Bosnia international, joined the club from Benfica in the summer for £30m. He and a friend were walking along a track by a reservoir on Military Road in the Harlow Hill area when a member of the public became concerned and called the police. Officers found the pair about seven miles away, in the Darras Hall estate on the outskirts of Newcastle.

What the Police Say Happened

Northumbria Police did not name anyone, but a spokesperson set out what officers did: “Shortly after 1.55pm on Wednesday, we received a report of two men carrying a bow and arrows while walking along a track by the reservoir on Military Road in the Harlow Hill area.

“Officers attended and subsequently stopped a vehicle in the Darras Hall area and seized a bow and arrows. At this stage, it is understood they were for recreational use and there was no threat to the public. Enquiries are ongoing.”

The response was large. At least six patrol cars, marked and unmarked, went to the Harlow Hill area, and some are understood to have been armed response units. Dedic and his companion were stopped in a vehicle in Darras Hall. Officers are understood to have searched the car. They seized the bow and arrows and questioned the defender about his activities.

The Chance Arrival of Gillespie and Dummett

The scene took a strange turn while police were still speaking to Dedic. Newcastle goalkeeper Mark Gillespie and former defender Paul Dummett arrived. It is understood the pair were in the area by chance and stopped to offer assistance.

After speaking to the two men, officers were satisfied there was no threat to the public. The police statement says the equipment is believed to have been intended for recreational use.

It is understood that Dedic and his friend had fired some arrows while in the countryside. It remains unclear what they were aiming at. Hunting any animal or bird with a bow and arrow or crossbow is illegal in the UK. No such allegation has been made here: the police statement describes the equipment as recreational, and enquiries are continuing.

No Club Action, but a Feeling He Should Have Known Better

Newcastle are understood not to be planning any disciplinary action against Dedic over the incident. There is a feeling, though, that the player was naive to believe he could walk around the countryside carrying such a weapon.

The timing is awkward for a club already under pressure. Dedic has made 10 appearances in all competitions for the club he joined from Benfica and has four assists. He played 87 minutes of Monday’s 1-0 defeat by Everton, which left Newcastle 13th in the Premier League with four losses in their last five games across all competitions.

Matthias Jaissle is already dealing with early struggles and a restless crowd.

Dedic is expected to be available for Saturday’s Premier League trip to Fulham, where Newcastle will try to halt that run in a season that follows a summer when the squad changed so completely. The police enquiries continue in the meantime, and the force has so far described a recreational pastime and no threat to anyone.

WRITTEN BY

George Howson

George Howson is a Futbol Chronicle contributor and accredited journalist with over 20 years of experience following international football. A member of the AIPS International Sports Press Association, George has covered matches at stadiums around the world, bringing deep knowledge and first-hand insight to every match report and analysis he writes.

More articles by George Howson →