The owner of a legally-held shotgun told Belfast Crown Court yesterday that there was "no way" his son could have taken the weapon on December 17th, 1998.
Mr James Reid said that the gun was kept in a cabinet fitted with two locks. He kept the keys at all times and there were no spare keys. He and his wife had left home at about 8.45 a.m. on that date, leaving their son, David, in the house.
Mr Reid had the keys to the gun cabinet with him. When police called at about 5 p.m., he unlocked the cabinet and handed the gun over. There was no sign of the cabinet having being forced.
The witness was giving evidence in the trial of his son, Mr David Reid (29), of Doagh Road, Newtownabbey, who denies threatening to kill his estranged wife, Kerry, and his mother-in-law on December 17th, 1998. He also denies possessing a shotgun and assault.
The court heard details of interviews detectives had with Mr David Reid on December 18th, during which he denied taking a shotgun to the Hannahstown home of Ms Reid's parents, where she was staying. He admitted being at the house on the morning of December 17th and that there had been a "yelling, screaming and bawling match".
He has denied allegations by his estranged wife that he threatened both her and her mother with a gun and that he forced Ms Reid to lie on a bed and put the barrel of a gun into her mouth. A police witness told Mr John McCrudden QC, defending, that no fingerprints belonging to Ms Reid had been found on the weapon.
The trial continues today.