Cork man with knuckleduster down his pants told garda to 'take off his badge and go around the corner'
The man met Garda Bryan Crowley and Garda James O’Connell at a covid checkpoint in Cork City. File photo
A knuckleduster was concealed down a man’s pants during one incident in Cork City and in another interaction with gardaí he challenged one officer to “take off his badge and go around the corner”.
Sergeant Gearóid Davis outlined the background to both incidents at Cork District Court.
27-year-old David Raymond of Aisling Lawn, Ballincollig, County Cork, and now living in the UK, pleaded guilty to having the weapon and to public order charges.
Emma Leahy, solicitor, stressed that the charges dated back a considerable period to March and May 2020 and that since this time he had been doing well working in the UK. She said Mr Raymond was keen to deal with the outstanding matters against him.
“He specifically returned to deal with matters before the court. Back at that time more than four years ago he was addicted to alcohol and his life was essentially in chaos.
"He left to try and get a fresh start. He is doing well in the UK. He knows he has to address these matters and he wishes to apologise wholeheartedly.
“He presents as someone who wants to close this chapter of his life.
"And any time he came to the city he would have something like that in his possession and it was very much for his own protection,” Ms Leahy said.
Judge Treasa Kelly noted how far back the offences were but she also referred to a long list of previous convictions for public order matters.
The judge fined him €200 for having the knuckleduster and took charges of being threatening and abusive and failing to leave the scene of a disturbance into consideration. For the non-payment of fines on unrelated cases the judge said he could do 40 hours of community service.
On March 13, 2020, he had a knuckleduster inside his tracksuit pants, Sgt Davis said. Then at 4pm on May 24, 2020, at a covid checkpoint Garda Bryan Crowley and Garda James O’Connell met him in Cork City.
“He became abusive. He told garda Crowley in an aggressive manner several times to 'take off his badge and go around the corner'. He was informed to desist. He took a naggin of vodka out of his pocket and called gardaí “f***ing muppets,” Sgt Davis said.
