A MAN who used a high-powered hunting crossbow to shoot two people has been sentenced to an indefinite hospital order.

The attacks, in Uxbridge and Hillingdon, were completely random and unprovoked.

Andrew Ramdeen, 30, of Green Lane, Northwood, had admitted two counts of causing grievous bodily harm at an earlier hearing at Isleworth Crown Court.

The judge said he considered Randeem dangerous and that, had a hospital order not been an option, he would have passed a sentence of 14 years and nine years in prison.

The first incident occurred on in August 2020, when a 19-year-old man was walking along The Greenway, Uxbridge at around 10.25pm when a crossbow bolt sliced through his ear as it passed his head before striking a parked car.

Initially, the occupant of the car - a minicab driver - got out to remonstrate with the victim in the mistaken belief he had fired it. When he realised the man was injured, he took him to hospital.

Fortunately, the injury was not life-threatening, but a slight variation in the course of the bolt could have been fatal.

The following month, at 8.02pm, a 33-year-old man was walking in Pield Heath Road, Hillingdon, when, without warning, he was shot in the torso with a crossbow bolt.

He suffered a ruptured aortic artery and punctured internal organs, losing five litres of blood.

Thankfully, he survived as the attack happened close to Hillingdon Hospital, where he was treated.

Detectives traced a company delivery vehicle to Ramdeen, who was arrested by armed officers while driving.

A search of his home address found the crossbow with bolts that matched those from the scenes of the attacks.

The motivation behind the attacks has never been fully established.

Det Insp Daniel McInerney said: "It's no exaggeration to say that, in both instances, the difference between life and death was a matter of millimetres.

"It's pure good fortune the second victim was so close to a hospital. Doctors and nurses saved this man's life.

“The overwhelming evidence we presented left Ramdeen with no choice but to plead guilty to these horrendous attacks.”