Cork man who produced large knife in Cobh pub gets suspended sentence

Customers at Tarrant’s pub in Cobh called gardaí when a man at the premises frightened people by producing a large orange-handled knife.

 Detective Garda Brian Murphy testified at Cork Circuit Criminal Court that a call came through to gardaí just after 8.30pm on February 15, 2025, that a man was engaging in threatening people with a 30cm long knife.

Gardaí arrived and quickly disarmed the man who was highly intoxicated.

Cian Hodgers, of Elton Estate in Cobh, Co Cork, has now pleaded guilty to engaging in threatening behaviour and producing a knife during the incident at Casement Square in Cobh.

Niamh Stewart defence barrister said the 38-year-old has been in and out of psychiatric facilities a number of times.

“He was not taking his medication at the time and instead he was heavily using alcohol and drugs. He was acting very strangely on the night, talking to himself and behaving quite erratically.

“He is extremely remorseful. He is back on a depot injection. This incident would be out of character for him. I am asking for a non-custodial sentence. He does suffer a lot of anxiety,” Ms Stewart said.

Judge Helen Boyle imposed a two-year suspended sentence on the accused, commenting to him, “You now know what happens when you don’t take your medication.”