Newcastle defender Amar Dedic stopped by police with bow and arrows in Northumberland

A report near a reservoir

A passer-by alerted police to two men walking near a reservoir at Harlow Hill, on the edge of Newcastle, who were carrying a bow and arrows. The passer-by reportedly believed the pair could be a threat, which is why the call was made. Northumberland Police say the call came in shortly before 14:00 on Wednesday, 4 November, and their own statement puts the report at 13:55. Reports say at least six police vehicles were sent to the area, some of them unmarked, and that armed response units were among the officers deployed. The man at the centre of the operation is Amar Dedic, a 24-year-old Bosnian international.

The stop and the seizure

Officers stopped Dedic and a friend about 11 kilometres from the place where the report had located them, in the Darras Hall area. Police describe the stop as part of the same operation that began at the reservoir. The bow and arrows were seized, and both men were questioned by officers. According to SAPO, the pair had shot some arrows, but what they were aiming at was never established. Fanpage reports that both men were later allowed to leave. Dedic is the only one of the two named in the coverage, while his companion has not been identified.

What police have said

Northumberland Police describe the equipment as intended for recreational use and say it posed no threat to the public. At this stage, police consider the equipment to have been for recreational use, but enquiries are still under way and the police have not explained what the two men had been shooting at. Hunting animals or birds with a bow and arrows, or with a crossbow, is illegal in England, a point the reports repeat. Newcastle has not spoken publicly about the episode, so the police statement is the only official account in the coverage.

The player and his club

Dedic joined Newcastle from Benfica in the summer, and Blick puts the transfer fee at 36 million euros. Fanpage says he started well at the club, but the coverage of this episode was driven by an incident away from football. Blick describes him as a full international for Bosnia and Herzegovina, and names his Newcastle teammate Fabian Schär, 34, in the same report. Fanpage also notes that Dedic has four assists so far this season.

Newcastle's position

Fanpage reports that Newcastle has not commented on the incident. The Daily Mail, as relayed by Blick, says Dedic is not expected to face disciplinary action from the club, and that his conduct is seen as thoughtless naivety. Blick reports that the defender could be available for Newcastle's Premier League match against Fulham on Saturday, 7 November. Newcastle have lost four of their last five matches and hope to return to winning ways.