A WELLINGTON factory worker who shot a neighbour near his home with a crossbow bolt will spend Christmas in jail as he starts a lengthy prison sentence.

Anthony Northover, aged 43, was jailed by Judge Anna Richardson for two years and four months when he appeared in Taunton Crown Court on Wednesday (December 17).

Northover was originally charged with attempted murder and possession of a bladed article in a public place after the attack, which happened shortly before 10 pm on June 9, near his flat in Wardleworth Way.

His victim, a man in his 30s, was treated in Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, but was said by medical staff not to have been in a life-threatening condition.

The main charge against Northover was reduced last month to wounding with intent rather than attempted murder and he entered a guilty plea to it.

A sentence of eight months imprisonment was passed for threatening a person with a bladed article, to run concurrently, and Northover was ordered to pay a £228 victim surcharge.

Judge Richardson also issued a deprivation order for all weapons and ammunition seized by the police.

Northover has been in custody for the six months since the attack, which will be deducted from his sentence.

Neighbours on the estate expressed shock at the incident but said they were supportive of Northover, who was the kind of person to go out of his way to help others.

One woman who lives on the estate and who did not want to be named, told the Wellington Weekly there had been long standing issues with drug dealing in the area which she believed had driven Northover to carry out the attack.

She said the situation had been reported on a number of occasions to police but not enough appeared to have been done to tackle it.

The Wellington Weekly approached Avon and Somerset Constabulary for any comment about drug crime in the area but did not receive a response.