Knifeman brandished blade in town to 'protect his gran'

A SHIRTLESS man held a knife in a Gwynedd town because he was hearing voices.

- By DAVID POWELL Daily Post Reporter

Stephen Miller genuinely believed the voices were of people who wanted to kill his grandmother and he wanted to protect her, a court heard yesterday.

A judge said it was lucky a retired police officer - who knew something about Miller's mental health issues - intervened. Police were called and the 55-year-old was disarmed.

Miller, of Sarn Road, Dolgellau, admitted possession of a knife in a public place in the incident which occurred in August.

He also pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis. A judge at Caernarfon Crown Court spared him jail after learning that the defendant would get psychiatric help. The court heard there had been reports of a man “pacing up and down’ in Dolgellau on August 1 at 7.30pm.

He had taken his top off and he was brandishing a knife. A member of the police alerted police and he was disarmed.