Albury police found blades on Matthew Daniel after he fell unconscious from drugs

Both times, Matthew Daniel - court papers also had him identified as Daniels, which he said from jail was incorrect - he had fallen unconscious as a result of using illegal drugs.

In mid-June, magistrate Sally McLaughlin told Daniel, after he pleaded guilty to a charge laid over him walking into the Albury courthouse with a pocket knife, to stop the habit.

It was, she told him, as he shook his head, a serious offence.

But on Monday, August 21, Daniel again appeared in Albury Local Court, via a video link to Junee jail, on two similar charges.

Daniel, 30, pleaded guilty through defence lawyer Angus Lingham to having custody of a knife in a public place and possession of a prohibited weapon without a permit.

Police said Daniel, a long-time drug addict, had pleaded guilty to and was convicted on June 15, 2022, to having custody of a knife in a public place.

And then about 7.35am on February 11, 2023, emergency services were contacted to attend an address in Fraunfelder Street, North Albury, "after the accused was seen to be acting in an erratic manner".

"The accused was observed to sit down on the ground before laying down and becoming unconscious," police said.

Paramedics took him to Albury hospital, which police attended about 8.50am to check on his welfare.

He was still unconscious but his condition was described as stable.

Medical staff suspected Daniel had used illicit drugs and that therefore he was suffering from a drug-induced psychosis.

They asked police to search Daniel's bag to get an indication of what drugs he might have consumed.

Inside his black shoulder bag was a multi-tool device that included a six-centimetre "flip" blade.

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The second charge related to an incident on June 16, 2023, when police received a call about the accused being unconscious in a public toilet on Wodonga Place, South Albury.

They were able to stir Daniel, who refused to unlock his toilet cubicle at first.

Paramedics then asked Daniel if he would like to go to hospital.

Daniel agreed, but police first insisted on searching him for the paramedics' protection.

They recovered a silver butterfly knife from his bum bag. When asked about the blade, Daniel replied: "It's a knife."

Daniel will be sentenced on September 4.

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