Schizophrenic who was spotted with BB gun near infant school is now ‘recovering’

A schizophrenic has escaped with a fine after being spotted approaching a school playground holding a loaded BB gun.Michael O’Neill, 35, of Lowfields in Gaywood, appeared at Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, where he admitted possession of an imitation firearm in a public place – as well as three counts of theft.The court heard that on August 17, he was witnessed by numerous members of the public walking topless through North Lynn. He held the black handgun with his finger on the trigger.

He was then spotted near an infant school in the area, with West Norfolk Council CCTV cameras capturing him walking towards it.Some people spotted him raising his hand in the air “as if loading the weapon”.After police enquiries, O’Neill was arrested in the Aldi supermarket in Gaywood, where he pronounced: “Seriously, I have done nothing wrong. I am carrying a gun.” On August 26, O’Neill stole various items from One Beyond in the town centre, as well as a gimlet worth £2.42 from B&Q on the Hardwick industrial estate.On September 3, he pinched a £10 set of earphones from TX Maxx. Mitigating, solicitor Charlotte Winchester said: “At the time of these offences in August and September, he was a most unwell man with his mental health.”She told the court that O’Neill’s first psychotic incident occurred two years ago, leading to “unusual behaviour” and concerns over the state of his living conditions.He was eventually sectioned over his mental health in September, when he was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Ms Winchester said: “He is now engaging well. He himself said that when he previously was under the mental health team, he didn’t understand that they were trying to help him.“Something has now clicked. I think the most important thing is that he is recovering with this help, and that he himself can see the benefit of it.”On his firearm offence, she added: “He had no awareness of what he was doing, or the seriousness of it.“He can see now the impact it would have had on people. He can’t explain why he acted like that, but clearly it was part of his declining mental health.” Magistrates fined O’Neill £80 for possession of the BB gun, which will be forfeited and destroyed.He will also pay a £32 victim surcharge, £50 in court costs, and compensation to B&Q and TK Maxx.Before leaving the dock, O’Neill said: “I am literally a different person.”