A north Clare man who had been ‘in dreamland’ over the consequences of carrying a knife around with him has been remanded in prison for the first time.
At Killaloe District Court sitting in Ennis, Judge Alec Gabbett said that he had “no choice’ but to refuse Eoin Larkin’s application for bail after hearing the Garda evidence that Mr Larkin posed a risk to the public if released on bail over knife concerns.
Mr Larkin of Ballycotton, Liscannor will spend his 28th birthday on remand at Limerick Prison on Thursday, September 4th and solicitor for Mr Larkin, Tara Godfrey said she will be making a bail application to the High Court after Judge Gabbett refused bail in the district court.
Ms Godfrey told Judge Gabbett that Mr Larkin has never seen the inside of Limerick prison “and is absolutely petrified at the thought of being remanded in prison and that is sufficient motivation to wake him to the reality of the situation”.
Ms Godfrey stated that Mr Larkin “has been in dreamland so far in respect of the consequences of carrying a knife around and he hasn’t taken the necessary steps to curtail his alcohol or drug intake”.
In evidence, Sgt Caroline Lynch said that Mr Larkin told a Garda colleague that he carried a knife around him at all times.
Sgt Lynch said that Mr Larkin made his admission after being involved in an incident which involved him allegedly producing a knife outside the Nineteenth Bar on Main Street Lahinch last month.
Sgt Lynch said that after being removed from the pub by security staff, Mr Larkin attempted to strike a member of security staff and when Mr Larkin fell to the ground he produced a large red kitchen knife.
Sgt Lynch said that security staff then locked the doors on the pub and
if security had not locked themselves “we would be dealing with a very serious incident”.
Sgt Lynch said that when Gardai went to arrest Mr Larkin at his home on September 1st he was this time in possession of a large black kitchen knife which he removed from his hoodie and handed to his father.
Judge Gabbett said: “He allegedly had a knife in hand outside the pub and when Gardai went to arrest him he had another knife and that is a serious issue.”
Ms Godfrey said that Mr Larkin has the support of his parents, both of whom were in court for the bail hearing. Ms Godfrey said that Mr Larkin has no previous convictions for what he is accused of and that it was not reasonable to remand her client in custody.
In the witness box Mr Larkin said “never again” when asked would he carry a knife around with him in future.
In the case, Mr Larkin is accused of producing a large red kitchen knife from his hoodie pocket capable of inflicting injury during the course of a dispute outside the Nineteenth Bar on August 16th last contrary to Section 11 of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act.
Judge Gabbett remanded Mr Larkin in custody to appear before Ennis District Court on September 17th for DPP directions.
