No bail for Cork man accused of being drunk with knife

A drunken man arguing with someone on his phone was seen in possession of a knife at a Chinese restaurant, a court in Cork heard this week.

Gardaí objected to bail being granted to the accused.

Craig O’Sullivan, aged 30, of 24 Curraheen Drive, Bishopstown, Cork, is charged with being drunk and a source of danger to himself or others and being in possession of a knife at Wilton Willow, Cardinal Way, Bishopstown, Cork.

Garda Kate McCarthy said gardaí responded to a call to the restaurant at 6.30pm on August 28.

On arrival, staff told Garda McCarthy that they had not been robbed, but that a man sitting in the waiting area was in possession of a knife.

When gardaí went to search him, the accused said: 

“I only had the knife for someone else, I wasn’t going to rob the place.”

Frank Buttimer, solicitor, said the comment did not indicate any intention to use the knife and that the accused man merely wanted to return it to the person who owned it.

The solicitor added that there was also no evidence that the person with whom he was arguing on the phone had anything to do with the knife.

The defendant gave evidence that he had been fishing earlier in the day and had the knife for the purpose of cutting bait, and his intention was to return it to the man he had been fishing with earlier.

Judge Mary Dorgan said: “I am refusing bail. He was caught red-handed with the knife, which he said was for fishing purposes.

“I am not really impressed with that excuse, he certainly should not have had a knife in the restaurant.”

Mr O’Sullivan was remanded in custody, on the application of Sergeant Gearóid Davis, at Cork District Court, until September 16.