Man gets ‘benefit of the doubt’ after pleading guilty to possession of a knife at takeaway
By Brendan Grehan
A LUCAN man “showed” a knife to the boss of a Celbridge takeaway after he was confronted for throwing snowball’s at the shop’s front window, Blanchardstown District Court has heard.
Judge David McHugh heard that Brandon Fitzgerald had taken out the knife after he and the other man argued over the incident.
Fitzgerald, aged 21, with an address at Buirg An Rí Walk, Balgaddy, Lucan, pleaded guilty to possession of a knife at Main Street, Celbridge, County Kildare, on January 12, 2017.
The court heard it was reported that a number of youths were throwing snowballs at the front window of the takeaway.
Gardai arrived at the scene and spoke to Fitzgerald, who had a knife on him.
Fitzgerald’s solicitor said drink had been consumed and his client had an argument with the shopkeeper.
The Solicitor said that two weeks before the incident, Fitzgerald lost his mother and the inquest had not taken place yet.
It had been a sudden, unexpected death.
Judge McHugh asked Sgt Geraldine McManigan to further explain the incident.
Sgt McManigan said gardai arrived and spoke to the takeaway owner, who said a knife had been produced, but gardai did not see this.
“It wasn’t produced in any threatening manner, it was shown rather than produced in a threatening manner,” Fitzgerald’s solicitor said.
Judge McHugh said he was taking into account the fact that the defendant had lost his mother recently.
He said he would give him the “benefit of the doubt”.
He adjourned the case for four weeks and said he would strike it out if €80 was paid to Blanchardstown Hospital.
