Man charged with possession of knife at Sligo school

A man faced a court today charged with possession of a knife at a secondary school, police said.

Edward McPhillips was taken before Ballymote District Court after allegedly entering Summerhill College in Co Sligo on Monday.

The 45-year-old, from Union Place, Sligo, was charged under the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, a police spokesman said.

Dressed in black and speaking with an American accent, McPhillips told the court: ‘‘All I really want to do is go home and recover. I just want to be by myself and put myself back together.’’

His solicitor, Leonie Hogged, said her client’s mother was willing to sign him into St Columbas Psychiatric hospital.

But Superintendent Kevin Ginty, who applied for a remand in custody to Castlerea prison, said the accused could be given a medical and psychiatric assessment while in custody.

McPhillips was remanded in custody to Castlerea Prison to appear again at Sligo District Court on Thursday.