A MAN accused of possessing a sword in Bisley pleaded guilty just minutes before he was due to stand trial.

At an earlier hearing at Gloucester Crown Court, Christopher Bidmead, aged 30, pleaded not guilty to affray and possessing a bladed article in Windyridge, Bisley on July 31, last year.

On Wednesday, a jury was waiting to be called into court when Bidmead's solicitor, Tim Burrows, asked for the charges to be put to him again. This time he admitted them.

Asking for a pre-sentence report on Bidmead, Mr Burrows said he had no previous convictions apart from a motoring offence about 12 years ago.

"He was in drink at the time of this incident and does appear to have been in a state as a result of an ongoing dispute with the next door neighbour," said Mr Burrows.

Julian Kesner, prosecuting, said that when Bidmead is sentenced on April 17 there will be a victim impact statement from the neighbours to put before the court.

There would also be an application for a restraining order to prevent him causing further trouble to the neighbours, he said.

Bailing Bidmead, Judge William Hart told him "I have yet to make my mind up about the appropriate sentence but do not assume it won't be custody. All options will be considered"

The judge had viewed the old military sword, which was in a scabbard, before adjourning the case.

The court had been told the incident happened in the area of Bidmead's parents' home in Bisley and the neighbours' house.

At an earlier hearing, Mr Kesner had said "The Crown’s case is that the defendant tried to barge into a neighbour’s house and was then seen in the road waving an antique sword about."

Bidmead currently lives at  Felin Abermad, Llanilar, Aberystwyth,