Ronald McKellar faces court in Orange after police search

Ronald Thomas Charles McKellar, 38, of Lords Place, appeared in court from jail where he had already spent 120 days in pre-sentence custody.

According to a fact sheet, police received a radio message at 7.05pm on March 9 about a male wearing a black shirt and black shorts carrying a butchers knife and jumping fences in the Orchard Grove Road area near Glenroi Oval.

About 7.20pm police saw McKellar wearing similar clothing in Cox Avenue, near the reported location so they stopped and asked him if he had a knife and he said, "yeah".

He was intoxicated and unable to stand still and was slurring his words. During a search, police found a small push dagger in his right pants pocket and a pair of homemade nunchukkas in his shorts.

McKellar told police he had the dagger because, "I go fishing, use it for cutting line".

He said the nunchukkas where for, "when I walk in the dark, something to defend myself with".

McKellar was arrested for possession of prohibited weapons without a permit but when police went to put him in the back of the police vehicle he put his foot up pushing back from the pod and attempted to get out through the other door.

He continued to resist police and kick his legs so he was sprayed with OC spray and was taken to the ground before being lifted up and put back into the rear pod again.

Due to his intoxication, the police put him in "time out" at Orange Police station.

Solicitor Charlotte Pascall said McKellar was on bail at the time of his arrest and he was homeless and heavily using drugs.

"He's a man who is at grave risk of institutionalisation," she said.

She said McKellar grew up at Bourke and Orange, violence was "fairly common" in his home environment and he started using cannabis when he was 11 and amphetamine-based drugs at 14.

Magistrate David Day doubted McKellar's statement that the dagger was for cutting fishing line.

"The only reason to have a push dagger is to slash or stab someone ... they are not for your fishing line," Mr Day said.

"Mr McKellar is not helped by his very, very lengthy record.

"The weapons are unfortunately very common."

Mr Day sentenced McKellar to nine-months' jail with a three-month non-parole period from March 10 to June 9 for the possession of the nunchukkas and push dagger.

Mr Day also placed him on a two-year community correction order for resisting police and he convicted him without further penalty for carrying a cutting weapon upon apprehension.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: