Man charged after BB gun in A&E

The incident happened in the A&E department of Altnagelvin hospital

A man from Londonderry has appeared in court charged with possessing a BB gun with intent in the A&E department of Altnagelvin Hospital on Tuesday.

Martin Thomas Boyd, 46, a landscape gardener from the Fountain estate, appeared in court in Limavady.

A police witness said he was satisfied that the defendant - who was drunk - had not intended to use violence

The defendant was remanded on his own bail of £250 to appear in court again next month.

A detective constable told the court that the defendant had bought the BB gun yesterday for his son at the Auld Lammas fair in Ballycastle.

He then drank eight pints of beer and went to the hospital with the weapon tucked inside his waistband to have his broken left arm examined.

Mr Boyd was arrested after a member of the public saw the imitation firearm and the police were called.

More than 30 patients were evacuated from the A&E department.