A WINCHESTER man found with two ninja-style throwing stars has been given a 12-month conditional discharge.

Geoffrey Merson, 40, of Winnall Manor Road, was arrested after police were called to an altercation at a home in King Alfred Place in the city centre on September 4 last year.

Winchester Crown Court heard on Monday how Merson had arrived at the address after three other people had forced their way into the home and had begun fighting with the occupants.

He pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon. In mitigation, Thomas Simpson said Merson suffers from paranoia due to alcoholism and claimed the stars, known as shurikens, were for his defence.

He said: “There was no intention he was going to use these throwing stars offensively. They are strange implements and one wonders what you could do with them at all.”

The judge, Mr Recorder Peter Blair QC, told Merson: “Those throwing stars are something that you are not allowed to have in a public place. Any weapon of any nature is forbidden, and you must not carry them outside any dwelling.”

Winchester residents Gary McEvoy, 38, of Milner Place, Stanmore, Colleen Lake, 37, of Cromwell Road, Stanmore, and Steven Meritt, 43, of Stuart Crescent, Stanmore, all pleaded guilty to a charge of affray related to the same address.

They will be sentenced on June 26 pending pre-sentence reports.