Drunk Mark Rowlands was caught with sword in Portslade park

Mark Rowlands, 49, had downed two litres of sherry mixed with some painkillers on August 4 before descending on Victoria Park, Portslade, with the crusader blade.

He then approached people while swinging the sword, which he claimed he had taken with him to use as support having lost his walking stick, Brighton Magistrates’ Court heard.

A concerned witness called police and officers found Rowlands carrying the sword in the park shortly before 9pm.

Martina Sherlock, prosecuting, said Rowlands had started swinging the sword near a group of people, prompting them to move towards officers.

Rowlands, of Abinger Court in Abinger Road, Portslade, told police he was “in fear of being attacked by the Ghanaians from London” and he had gone to the park to get fresh air because he “felt wobbly” from the booze and drugs.

He appeared in court wearing a T-shirt with a print of Che Guevara, the Argentinian Marxist, on it and a pair of jeans.

He has 33 previous convictions for 85 offences, some of which were violent.

Rowlands, who is in receipt of benefits, bought the sword, which was blunt when he was caught with it, for £80 in Oxford, Oxfordshire.

He said he “did not see anyone about” in the park so decided to begin swinging the sword around.

The sword Mark Rowlands was caught with

He pleaded guilty to possessing a bladed article in a public place.

Alison Reeby, defending, said Rowlands is a “vulnerable man” with mental health issues which became prominent when he fell from a cliff ten years ago.

She told the court her client suffers from regular panic attacks and lives in rented accommodation.

Ms Reeby said Rowlands had been drinking at his flat and was feeling “extremely anxious” because people had been trying to get into his flat.

She said he had lost his walking stick the week before so decided to use the sword to support himself when he left the house.

Ms Reeby said Rowlands had eventually noticed it was very heavy and not suitable to use as a makeshift walking stick.

Rowlands claimed not to remember what he had said to police after his arrest.

Magistrate Matthew Irish said he did not believe the custody threshold had been met.

As he was told he would not be going to prison, Rowlands wiped a tear from his eye and said: “Thank you so much.”

Mr Irish said: “Possessing a bladed article is a serious offence.

“We really cannot have people walking around with them in public parks.

“Things like that do scare people.

“It is not acceptable, whether you intended to scare people or not.”

Rowlands replied: “I understand that now.”

He was sentenced to a 12-month community order and fined £50.

Rowlands must pay £85 costs and an £85 victim surcharge, and magistrates issued a deprivation order for the sword.