Man armed himself with metal bar to defend mates in Mansfield

Dumitru Serban-Sardaru was stopped by police on Clumber Street, at 4am, on June 26, after a tip-off from CCTV operators.

“He recovered the bar from the boot of a motor car and then returned to the street, but had not been seen to use or brandish it in any violent manner,” said prosecutor Rod Chapman.

“In police interview, he said friends of his had been surrounded by other men who were acting aggressively,” said Mr Chapman.

“So he went to his car in order to arm himself with the intention of defending his friends.

“He told police he was looking for something like a screwdriver, so I suppose we ought to be thankful he found this bar instead, being a less lethal type of weapon.

“He said he was walking back to where his friends had been but the police were already there. A person had been assaulted at that location.”

Serban-Sardaru, 25, of Second Avenue, Forest Town, admitted possession of an offensive weapon when he appeared before magistrates in Mansfield, on Monday.

Yvonne Wragg, mitigating, said Serban-Sardaru was ashamed to be brought before the court and had no previous convictions.

She said he was a truck driver who works very long hours and had been into town with his friends.

“He said he would have used it had it been necessary,” she said. “He was not responsible for anything other than being in possession of the bar.”

He was fined £300, and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £30 victim surcharge.