A man found with a homemade spear after Bristol's Kill the Bill riot claimed he wanted to protect police and hunt deer.
Bradley Edmonds, of Ilchester Crescent in Bedminster Down, was spotted with the weapon in Bristol city centre at around 5am on March 22.
The 28-year-old was metres from Bridewell police station, which shortly beforehand had been damaged by people protesting the proposed Police and Crime Bill.
Edmonds says he is a self-taught martial artist whose parents "taught him to kill", Bristol Magistrates' Court heard on Thursday (June 10).
He pleaded not guilty to carrying an offensive weapon, claiming he had been in the area to "protect the city and protect the police". He also said the spear was for hunting deer.
Edmonds claimed he had been unaware of the protest, having spent the night taking magic mushrooms with an "anarchist-type" who "may have been called Jeffrey".
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The magistrates deliberated for only a few minutes before finding him guilty.
Edmonds was found on Rupert Street with a wooden stick, one end pointed and the other end with a material wrapped round it "as if to be used as a torch", said prosecutor Paul Ricketts.
"The material had a sweet odour, like deodorant or aftershave," Mr Ricketts said.
Police found a balaclava and shovel on Edmonds. He was wearing two pairs of gloves, the inner pair made of latex and the outer "more substantial".
Police bodycam footage of the arrest was played during the trial. It showed Edmonds sitting by a tree near the police station and telling an officer: "I've just come out of my house."
The officer says: "I was worried what you were going to be doing because you had your sticks in your hands."
Edmonds then points at unknown persons and says to the officer: "You'd better watch these guys, they're shifty as f**k."
Several officers then restrain Edmonds so he can be arrested, while he yells: "I haven't done anything wrong. Get off me, I've done nothing wrong."
As he is held on the ground, he shouts: "I can't f*****g breathe, get your dirty hands off me you f*****g dirty pig."
A conversation between officers is heard in which one says: "He was walking towards me with that [the spear], so I drove off and went round the block."
Police interviewed Edmonds the following day, at 4.43pm. He was not represented during the interview.
Mr Ricketts said: "He said he had been diagnosed with ADHD and he needed to channel his energy into a positive mental state in some way. He said he goes outside and trains in his martial arts.
"He stated he has made and adapted a spear out of oak, which he says is 5ft long, and he has narrowed the end into a spike. He has carved his street name on it.
"He said he could kill a deer with the spear and he is a dangerous guy and his parents taught him to kill. He describes self-teaching martial arts.
"Mr Edmonds said he dips the cloth on the spear into paraffin and lights it on fire."
The defendant told officers he had been at his brothers' house the previous evening, drinking two cognacs and eating a KFC meal.
"He stated he cycled home to Bedminster Down, where he lives with his mother, went inside, turned the music on loud and left the Xbox on," Mr Ricketts continued.
"He said he set up the Xbox to remain on to provide himself with an alibi for when he went out.
"Asked why he needed an alibi, he said he always needs one as he gets in trouble when he goes out."
Edmonds took a shovel out with him "in case he saw some nice flowers" to dig up and give to his mother, he told police.
The prosecutor added: "He went through Redcliffe and punched and kicked bicycle racks. He said he impressed himself with his martial arts skill.
"He saw a friend who may have been called Jeffrey but he was not sure. He was an anarchist type. They shared a spliff, and the male invited him back to his squat.
"Once there, Mr Edmonds said he was offered magic mushrooms, which he had not had before. He declined but was told it was rude to do so, so he accepted."
Edmonds claimed he was "tripping" and his memory was not clear after taking the drugs.
"He said he used a fire extinguisher to spray Bridewell police station to get the dirt and gunk off it and clean it," Mr Ricketts said.
"He had no idea of the violent disorder that took place. He also stated he was there to protect the city and protect the police. He said if he saw anyone committing damage to the station he would 'bonk' them with his spear. He would jab them on the chin."
Edmonds described the 5am aftermath of the riot as "like a zombie apocalypse with no one around but bins on fire".
He told the officers interviewing him that if they wanted war, he would "bring war".
Wearing a grey hoodie and grey joggers in the dock, Edmonds chose not to give evidence during the trial.
In his closing statement, Mr Ricketts told the court: "Mr Edmonds said the spear was potentially for hunting animals. At 5am in Bristol city centre, perhaps that account doesn't bear scrutiny."
Edmonds' lawyer Vanessa Pople said: "The term 'offensive weapon', as you've heard, is any weapon made or adapted to cause injury to a person.
"There is no evidence this wooden stick was originally made to cause injury to another — another meaning a person, not an animal.
"He had had this item for a number of years and he used it for the hunting of animals.
"He is not one of the characters who come before the courts for fuelling or trying to spark riots. He was on the road when it had all ended.
"It is a case of this man going out for a walk at stupid o'clock in the morning and being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
"Officers are in a heightened state of alert because of the violence on this street, they see a man with a stick in his hand and of course they are going to want to stop and engage."
Ms Pople argued Edmonds' comment about "bonking" someone on the chin does not prove an intention of violence.
"In his interview, he said he would use the spear in that way to protect police property being damaged," she said. "It's a hypothetical situation."
Picking up a thick book titled "Defending Suspects at Police Stations", Ms Pople continued: "Imagine if someone burst into this courtroom, damaging property, and I used this book to hit them on the head."
She argued this was "analogous" to her client's situation.
After a few minutes deliberating, Presiding Justice Simon Brookes said the magistrates found Edmonds guilty.
The probation service will complete a presentence report ahead of Edmonds' next hearing on July 22.
Eight other people have appeared in court accused of offences connected to the riot, which took place after a protest against the Police and Crime Bill. The legislation would curb people's rights to peacefully protest.
The charges include riot, arson, violent disorder, outraging public decency, theft of police equipment and possession of a Class B drug.
