Man saved from 'bow and arrow attack' by his mobile phone

Australian escapes with small cut to his chin after device stops projectile

Mobile phone pierced by arrow (New South Wales Police Force)

A man’s mobile phone blocked an arrow allegedly fired at him by an attacker outside his home, police in the Australian state of New South Wales said.

Photos released by New South Wales police show how the arrow pierced and shattered the 43-year-old’s phone but did not entirely go through the device.

The mobile owner was taking a photo of a man allegedly clutching a bow and arrow outside his driveway before the man was said to draw the bow and shoot the projectile in his direction.

The victim was left with a small cut to his chin when the force of the missile pushed his phone backwards and into his face.

Police later arrested a 39-year-old man at the scene in the village of Nimbin, less than 20 miles outside the city of Lismore.

The alleged attack happened after the 43-year-old man drove into his driveway on Nimbin Road and stepped out of his car around 9am on Wednesday, police said.

“He noticed another man, who is known to him, standing outside his property allegedly armed with a bow and arrow,” said a spokesperson for New South Wales police.

“The resident held up his mobile phone to take a photo of the armed man who then engaged the bow and was ready to fire.

“It’s alleged the man fired the arrow at the resident which pierced through the man’s mobile phone causing the phone to hit him in the chin.

“It left a small laceration that didn’t require medical treatment.”

Mobile spiked by arrow (New South Wales Police Force)

The 39-year-old man arrested at the scene was taken to Nimbin Police Station where he was charged with being armed with intent to commit an indictable offence, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and malicious damage.

The accused was granted conditional bail to appear in Lismore Local Court on 15 April 2019.