Man found responsible for crossbow attack on house

A jury has found a man was responsible for attacking a friend's house with a crossbow.

Andrew Woollen, 50, fired numerous shots at the property on Victoria Avenue, Hull in October 2024.

He was due to stand trial on charges of attempted murder and weapon offences, but was ruled by a judge as not fit to plead.

A trial of the facts hearing at Hull Crown Court decided that he had committed the offences.

Prosecutor Claire Holmes told the jury Woollen had been friends with the family in the house for a number of years.

On the night of 7 October, the homeowners were woken at about 10:40 BST by the sound of breaking glass, she said.

The man looked out of his bedroom window and recognised Woollen who was crouching by some cars on the road outside.

He shouted from the window "What are you doing?," Ms Holmes told the court.

Jurors heard the 999 call where the homeowner was heard saying that Woollen had fired a number of bolts breaking the front windows and was "trying to smash the front door in".

When police arrested Woollen outside the property, he told officers: "She has hypnotised me."

The arresting officer told the jury: "It didn't make sense to me."

Woollen, of Perth Street in Hull, was found to have committed the acts of attempted murder, criminal damage, possession of an offensive weapon and possession of a lock knife.

He is being held in custody and a hearing about the future of the case will be held in May.

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