AN eccentric Japanese millionaire who hoarded a massive arsenal of weapons at his Happy Valley home is suffering from a severe personality disorder, a leading psychiatrist said yesterday.
Police uncovered the biggest illegal arms cache ever found in Hong Kong, including mortar bombs, hand grenades, 92 guns and 2,189 rounds of ammunition, when they searched the luxury flat of businessman Hirotsugu Hirai.
The weapons were part of a $3 million collection of military memorabilia. It included a cigarette case engraved with the name of Hitler's mistress, Eva Braun, and dated September 1, 1939. An inscription in German reads: 'Think heroically, act decisively'.
Yesterday, Hirai, 30, who is receiving psychiatric help, pleaded guilty in the High Court to two charges of illegally possessing arms and ammunition. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in jail. He also admitted dealing in arms and ammunition, for which he could face 10 years.
A leading British psychiatrist, Professor John Gunn, told the court Hirai was suffering from 'a severe obsessive compulsive disorder of the buying-hoarding type'.
The six-page indictment, including details of 20 sub-machineguns, six machineguns, 20 rifles and 30 pistols, took more than half an hour to read out.
