Teen charged with possession of 18-inch machete and cocaine

Kenneth Fox

A teenager has been charged in court with having a 18-inch machete blade as well as cocaine, when stopped in a car by gardaí, last Friday.

Kevin Kiely, (19), with an address at Barnakyle, Patrickswell, Co Limerick, was granted bail before a special sitting of Ennis District Court on Saturday, August 3rd.

Mr Kiely is charged that on August 2nd, he had “an 18-inch Machete Blade which had a blade or was sharply pointed, at Cloughkeating, Patrickswell, Limerick, a public place”, charge sheets stated.

The alleged offence is contrary to section 9(1) & (7) of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, 1990 as amended by section 39 of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2009.

Mr Kiely is further accused that, on the same date at the same location, he had in his possession “a controlled drug, namely, cocaine, to the value €9,100 for the purpose of selling or otherwise supplying it to another”.

The charge of having cocaine for sale or supply to others, is contrary to Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977.

Mr Kiely is further charged with simple possession of cocaine, contrary to Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act.

According to charge sheets, Mr Kiely made “no reply” to the charges.

Mr Kiely is alleged to have been driving a car which was stopped by gardaí, and found with cocaine, €1,000 cash and a large machete, as part of local Garda investigations into the sale and supply of controlled drugs and related criminal activity in the Limerick area.

The accused was arrested by Detective Garda Dean Landers, Roxboro Road Garda Station, Limerick, at 8.10pm, last Friday, and he was charged with three offences at 12:15am, Saturday, August 3rd.

He made “no reply” to the charges, charge sheets stated.

Prosecuting Garda Inspector, Gearóid Thompson, Bruff Garda Station, told the court that the State had consented to bail with strict conditions.

The accused’s solicitor, Tom Kiely, Kiely McCarthy Solicitors, Limerick, no relation to the accused, said his client was “not working and is in receipt of social welfare”.

Free legal aid was granted to the accused, who signed a bail bond agreeing to only reside at his home address at Barnakyle, Patrickswell; to provide his phone number to Gardaí in order to be contactable by Gardaí at all times, and to sign on daily at a garda station.

The accused did not indicate a plea and spoke in court only to confirm he had signed his bail bond.

Judge Fiona Brennan remanded Mr Kiely on bail to appear before Limerick District Court on September 13th for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.