A DRUNK entertainer swung his guitar at cars, hurling abuse as they desperately dodged him in the road.

Pensioner Michael McGranaghan, who raises money for a children’s charity at Southampton General Hospital, was caught acting drunk and disorderly four times in three months as well as being abusive and a “nuisance” to road users.

On another occasion, neighbours feared the 60-year-old was going to attack them with a weapon as he yelled foul-mouthed abuse.

In another he “swung his guitar at cars” shouting “20 is plenty” as they swerved around him.

Southampton Magistrates’ Court heard that McGranaghan’s offending started in October. Charles Nightingale, prosecutor, said he was seen “walking in the middle of the road with a bowler hat and feather, carrying a bottle of scrumpy” along Bitterne Road East. When officers found him he was “slurring and being obnoxious” so was arrested.

Later that month, he threw his instrument at cars in Upper Deacon Road after he was thrown out of the Red Lion pub, in Bitterne Road.

After he was escorted by police back to his home, he returned with more booze and carried on stopping cars in the road.

The following month he “swung, spat, waved and imitated karate moves” at youngsters in Bitterne Precinct.

Mr Nightingale added: “Then there was the incident where after an earlier argument with neighbours, they were woken up at 5.30am.

“He was swearing at them and shouting ‘you will suffer my wrath – judgement day is coming’. He had with him a sword or long pole and was waving it around.

“After what he said, the neighbours were worried he might attack someone.”

The court heard that McGranaghan had worked for 40 years as a quality surveyor but had suffered with a bipolar condition and alcohol issues for a number of years.

Mitigating, Jane Hiatt said: “Despite his issues, he does do a lot of work for the children’s charity at Southampton General Hospital.

“Every Monday he dresses up as a character for a fun day and the children guess who he is. He has raised a lot of money for them over the years.”

In sentencing, magistrates said McGranaghan’s actions made him a “nuisance”.

McGranaghan, of Drove Road, Sholing, admitted four counts of being drunk and disorderly, one count of causing danger to road users and one count of using abusive, threatening behaviour to cause alarm. He was fined £108, ordered to pay £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.