Men Jailed After Storming Darwen Bar with Crossbow and Knives

Patrick Ward and Zack Kelly were caught on camera. The incident happened on November 8 in town. Ward, age 24, wore a balaclava. He had a crossbow with him during the event. Kelly, age 26, carried a large kitchen knife.

A bar worker saw men running towards the Tiki Taps bar on Railway Road. They yelled and acted aggressively toward each other. The staff member tried locking the doors, but the group forced their way inside the bar.

Inside, one person used a chair to defend himself. Court video showed Ward at the door aiming the crossbow at the man. It’s unclear if he actually shot it, but police found a crossbow bolt on the bar floor. Kelly waved the knife around trying to reach the victim, who pushed Kelly away with the chair.

The prosecutor described “chaos” at the bar as people inside were screaming. The pair eventually left the bar, and staff locked the doors and called the police. CCTV showed Kelly running with the knife.

Police chased Kelly in a vehicle at one point. After his arrest, Kelly knew he was going to jail. Ward was found hiding behind a sofa three days later, but officers did not find the crossbow at Ward’s home, although they did find a knife. Both men declined talking to the police.

Ward’s lawyer called it “the worst affray,” while Kelly’s lawyer said his client was a knife attack victim. He has struggled with it. Ward admitted to weapon possession and affray, and Kelly admitted to possessing a knife and affray.

The judge called it serious public violence, remarking that bringing weapons to fights can cause death. The weapons surely terrified anyone who saw them. He added that neither man can handle non-jail sentences and they are likely to commit more crimes. The judge noted their guilty pleas, sentencing Ward to 25 months in jail and Kelly to 20 months, with supervision after his release.