A FIFE man is facing prosecution for refusing to hand over a rare neolithic axe head he found while walking near his home.

Michael Kelly, of Leslie, has been informed by the Crown Office that a charge is to be brought against him unless he gives up his 6500-year-old discovery.

However, Mr Kelly has no intention of doing so unless he is compensated to his satisfaction.

“I’ve just buried it up the Lomond Hills, he told The Courier yesterday. “That’s where I found it in the first place and I’ve no intention of going to get it as things stand.”

The 45-year-old former stunt man revealed he asked Fife Council to pay him £5000 for the axe head to allow him to make a film.

“Ultimately, the council will want to bid for the axe head for one of their museums,” he said.

“I asked for £5000 to get my film off the ground, which is not even £1 for every year this thing has been buried.

“The council declined my request and I’ll be damned if they are going to get anything from me for nothing.”

Mr Kelly is willing to fight his corner in court.

“I received a letter from the Crown Office telling me I had to hand the axe head in by March 9,” he said.

“But I haven’t and the letter said I would then be charged with theft or reset. That is nonsense because I haven’t stolen anything.

“I asked the owner of the land that I found the axe head on if he wanted it and he said he didn’t.

“If a museum is to have it, I think I should be rewarded accordingly.

“I’ve been told I would probably only get £200 for handing it in and that’s nowhere near enough.

“I expect I’ll end up in court and I’m ready for that.”

Recalling how he came across the axe head, Mr Kelly said, “I often go hill walking to think about my film scripts.

“On this occasion I was up West Conland and I saw what looked like a fancy stone lying on a ploughed field.

“A friend said it was ancient so I decided to have it looked at.”

Newly discovered ancient objects in Scotland belong to the Crown if the heirs of the previous owner can never be known.

Mr Kelly took the axe head to Fife Council archaeologist Alastair Rees. He said, “I advised Mr Kelly to declare his find as a treasure trove.

“In that instance, a panel would have decided how much money he should be given and which museum the piece should go to.

“Obviously Mr Kelly did not follow our advice.

“We knew straight away the axe head was of neolithic date and a specialist recognised it as a type of stone coming from the Killin area of Perthshire.

“It’s a very specific stone that you only find from there but which was transported all over the country.”

A Crown Office spokesman yesterday said, “We can confirm that the procurator fiscal in Kirkcaldy has written to Mr Michael Kelly in relation to the finding of an axe head.

“There is nothing further we can say as it is our policy not to disclose the contents of correspondence to and from other parties.

“If Mr Kelly wishes to make the contents of the letter public that is a matter for him.”