Police arrest man armed with sawfish bill

Police have arrested a man who was allegedly armed with a weapon made from the snout of a sawfish in Western Australia's Pilbara. Officers in Karratha were called to a house in Millars Well last night after reports a man was acting aggressively during a dispute with neighbours. It is alleged Jayden Moody was threatening people with the sawfish sword.



The sawfish has a long snout, or rostrum, which looks like teeth, but are actually scales, on both sides. Once police arrived at the scene they say they found the man shouting and swearing in the street. When officers attempted to apprehend him, it is alleged the 32-year-old assaulted an officer by kicking him in the head. They managed to subdue Moody, and he was arrested.

Police say they then found the sawfish sword hidden at his property. Moody was charged with assaulting a public officer, obstructing police and disorderly behaviour. He appeared in the Karratha Magistrates Court yesterday morning and was refused bail due to a current suspended jail sentence in his name. Acting Senior Sergeant Rick Bond says the fishy sword presented some challenges.



"That sword was located later, we conduct[ed] inquiries in relation to offences relating to that sword," he said. Police say they spent some time working out if they could charge Moody with being armed with a weapon, as technically he was armed with part of a fish. He is also expected to be charged with possessing a weapon. Moody is due to re-appear in court later today.