Police grabbed baseball bat from man after row

A DRUNKEN man who was detained by police after he was seen holding a 3ft baseball bat, said he kept the weapon by his front door as a deterrent.

Swansea magistrates heard that an officer grabbed the bat from Joseph Pearce, 39, of High Street, Gorseinon, when they saw him holding it at his address during an incident at about 11.30pm on December 21.

Laura Carthew, prosecuting, said police had attended the address after reports of a "heated altercation" taking place.

On arrival, officers separated the parties involved in the dispute.

The court heard that Pearce was present and as officers led him through his front door it was noticed he was holding a brown baseball bat.

The court heard that the bat was "approximately three feet" long. "Fearing that the defendant was going to use the bat the officer lunged forward and grabbed the bat," said Mrs Carthew.

"He was taken to the ground by officers and the bat was taken from him."

Pearce was arrested and in police interview later he said he had the bat as a "safety measure".

He told officers: "Unless I play baseball it's an offensive weapon, and I don't play baseball."

Pearce pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

Richard Adams, in mitigation, said Pearce had been "quite candid and open" about what had happened.

"The position is he has very little recollection of this incident," he said.

Mr Adams added that police were called to the scene in connection with a separate matter.

"Mr Pearce was highly intoxicated," he told the court.

"Clearly the issue here is the gravity of the offence.

"Mr Pearce cannot specifically say that he can remember picking it (the bat) up.

"He says it is usually kept by the door.

"He says it's an area where he and his partner have had problems and it's there as a deterrent in effect. It's never been used.

"Mr Pearce certainly suggests he'd never ever strike a police officer.

"It's a temporary possession of the bat and it's something that's happened in the spur of the moment."

Pearce was fined �120 with �50 costs and a �15 victim surcharge.

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