A MAN caused a commotion after he walked into a Cardigan pub with a replica Walther PPK gun in the waistband of his trousers.

Fraser Rees, 41, was tackled by worried customers who got the gun from him.

Rees, of St Mary Street, denied possessing a replica firearm in a public place but was found guilty after a trial at Swansea crown court and will be sentenced in January.

Dyfed Thomas, prosecuting, told how on April 2 last year Rees went to a church in Nevern and after attending a service gave a lay preacher a letter in which he referred to "destroying people."

Later that day he turned up at Cardigan police station and quizzed an officer about the monitoring of sex offenders living in the area.

At about 8.15pm he walked into the town's Red Lion pub with the replica gun in his trousers.

Following the scuffle, police were called and Rees was arrested.

Rees told the jury his mother was involved with Cardigan theatre and he had borrowed the gun from a friend for the theatre to use as a prop in a production about World War 1.

"I knew the gun did not work. I asked my friend to lend me something that would not get me into trouble," he said.

Rees agreed he had not expected to meet his mother in the Red Lion.

"I just popped in for a pint and didn't want to leave it in my car. I was doing a favour for my mother, that was all," he added

Rees produced a copy of the 1688 Bill of Rights as justification for having a firearm on him for self protection but was told by Judge Geraint Walters that did not apply to replica guns inside Cardigan pubs.

Rees was granted bail until the sentencing hearing.