Police were escorting Nicholas Bermingham to Orange Hospital when they found a baton in his backpack

Nicholas Michael Bermingham, 31, of Maxwell Avenue, pleaded guilty and told the police "I got it off a friend, I got it for a weapon".

According to information provided to the court, Police attended an address in Maxwell Avenue at 3.45pm on September 20, 2022, to help an ambulance for an unrelated matter involving Bermingham.

He was taken to Orange Health Service and police searched his backpack and found a black extendable baton in the bag.

Magistrate David Day asked if Bermingham knew how to use the baton.

"I think it's just a matter of Mr Bermingham not understanding the law properly," said Bermingham's solicitor Taras Maksymczuk.

Mr Day convicted Bermingham and placed him on a 12-month Community Corrections Order requiring him to be of good behaviour.

The weapon was forfeited.

"He now understands that he cannot carry around prohibited weapons for self defence, even if he does know how to use them," Mr Day said.

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: