Chesterfield Walking Dead fan in court for Meadowhall-bought katana sword

Korban Slater, 19, was found with the 71cm blade when police were called out to an unrelated incident at his Staveley home on March 20, Chesterfield Magistrates Court heard.

Prosecutor Alice Hornsby said: “It was an item he purchased at Meadowhall shopping centre - he regularly used to show it to visitors.

“The sword was kept on display behind a freestanding mirror in his bedroom - police got involved due to a call which was related to a domestic incident.

“He didn’t realise it was illegal to have one.”

Ms Hornsby said of Slater, who had no previous convictions, there was no suggestion he used the blade to threaten anyone “or anything of that nature”.

Slater’s solicitor Nadine Wilford said her client bought the sword from Meadowhall “in all good faith”.

Mrs Wilford said her client had the sword in homage to a similar style weapon used by the character Michonne in zombie TV series Walking Dead.

She added: “It was not taken out of its case at all.”

The court heard Slater was in full-time work and expecting his first child with his girlfriend.

District Judge Jonathan Taaffe told Slater it was illegal to have the sword “even in private”.

He said: “The reason is we’re suffering an epidemic of knife crime.

“You cannot turn on the TV or pick up the newspaper without hearing about the tragic consequences of using weapons such as this.

“It is illegal, however you were able to openly buy it - which was something done out of ignorance rather than malicious intent.

“Even in these circumstances it’s serious because what happens is people get boozed up and start swinging them around, showing off.

“If an argument starts then before we know where we are we have someone seriously injured or dead.”

Slater, now of Sheffield Road, Stonegravels, admitted possessing an offensive weapon in a private place.

He was handed a £300 fine, £85 court costs and a £34 victim surcharge.