A MAN has pleaded guilty to ‘stabbing’ a pub door with a samurai sword following a family dispute.

Peter Williams, 39, of Sycamore Drive, Lache, admitted causing £50 worth of damage to the front door of the City Arms in Saltney and possessing an offensive weapon.

The incident happened on the night of Saturday, December 18.

Marie Haydon, prosecuting, told Chester Magistrates Court that pub landlord Gerrard Oliver had been called downstairs due to a disturbance as a result of family dispute.

She said that Williams then left the pub and Mr Oliver could see him outside carrying ‘what he thought at the time was a hockey stick’.

Mr Oliver locked the pub doors for 15 minutes until Williams had gone.

He then looked at his CCTV footage, which showed Williams striking the front door with the sword – containing a metre-long blade – a number of times, the court heard.

Williams was arrested at home where police seized a total of three samurai swords – two in an upstairs bedroom and one in the front lounge.

He told officers he had no intention of hurting anyone and didn’t realise he was breaking the law, as he thought the swords were ornamental objects.

Defending, Howard Jones said Williams was upset with family members and took the sword to the pub ‘purely to back up his request for some respect’.

He added that Williams, who had been drinking, had made a ‘couple of stabbing motions to the public house door’.

Williams will now be committed for sentence at Chester Crown Court at a date yet to be decided.

He was remanded in custody.