Judge says man with sword down trousers near Offaly playground was lucky he didn't damage himself

A MAN was hallucinating and believed there was a monster behind a wall when he was seen carrying a sword near a playground in Birr on St Stephen's Day last year.

Andrew Cullen (57), The Courtyard, Mill Street, Birr, pleaded guilty to having a sword with a three-foot sharply pointed blade at Mill Street car park in Birr when he appeared before Judge Andrew Cody at Tullamore District Court. Mr Cullen also admitted not appearing in court on a previous occasion, February 15 last.

Sergeant James O'Sullivan told the court the accused had been seen by a member of the public walking in the playground in Birr “waving two swords around”.

Garda Fergus Hogan responded to the report and when he was driving on Mill Street he saw a lone male walking across the car park 50 yards from the playground.

The man appeared to be walking with an implement because he kept his right hand straight down as he walked.

The man was stopped and searched and the garda found a sword concealed within his trouser leg and seized it.

Sergeant O'Sullivan said that when Garda Hogan took a statement from the man, he said the sword was from the reenactment of a battle.

There was a smell of alcohol from him and another sword was located in a car.

The court further heard Mr Cullen had two previous convictions, including one from Dundalk District Court in 2014 for careless driving.

“A drunken man with a three-foot sword down his trousers. Lucky he didn't do serious damage to himself,” remarked Judge Cody.

Aisling Maloney, defending solicitor, said her client did have one or two too many drinks on the day and had been hallucinating.  He thought there was a monster behind a wall.

He was homeless at the time and the car was essentially his home. He was a man with an interest in medieval history and the blades of the swords were dull.

Ms Maloney said the accused had no intention of using them as a weapon and he had apologised, attended at the garda station voluntarily and handed over two hunting knives.

The solicitor said the incident seemed to have been caused by a psychotic break and she told Judge Cody her client had not turned up in court on February 15 because he was attending a district court in Galway.

Judge Cody imposed a fine of €100, giving Mr Cullen three months to pay, but he adjourned finalisation of the matter to July 19 next for the preparation of a probation and welfare report. He also ordered the destruction of the sword.