Cork 'loner' found with flick-knives told gardaí they were for hunting

A Cork man who was found in possession of two flick-knives told gardaí he used them for hunting, the district court has heard.

Sergeant Linda O’Leary told Midleton District Court gardaí were called to a disturbance at Killeagh Gardens, Killeagh, Co Cork, on the evening of June 4. At 6.30pm, the mother of Dylan Ahern, aged 21, of Killeagh Gardens, called gardaí to report her son behaving in an aggressive manner.

The court heard Ahern had been drinking all day, and an altercation developed with his mother that evening over the ownership of some dogs.

The incident report stated Ahern was in possession of a knife.

When gardaí arrived at the scene, Ahern was not present at the house, but he approached gardaí later with a number of dogs.

When Ahern was searched, two knives described as “flick-knives” were found on his person.

Ahern told gardaí he used the knives for hunting. He was arrested and charged with two counts of possession of a knife in a public place under the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990, as well as one count of being intoxicated in a public place.

The court was told Ahern had six previous convictions, including two for public order offences.

Defence solicitor Don Ryan said Ahern had been in custody since June 5 when he was refused bail.

He said his client’s main income was disability allowance, and he described Ahern as “a loner”.

Mr Ryan said Ahern had pleaded guilty immediately.

For the possession of the knives, Judge Colm Roberts sentenced Ahern to six months in prison, suspended for one year under Probation Service supervision for six months. The intoxication charge was taken into consideration.

This article is funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme