A DISTRICT court judge told a Cork city man that he has no business ‘cruising in West Cork with an axe’.
Judge James McNulty had been dealing with the case of Jason O’Driscoll (38) of 8 Lagan Grove, Mayfield, Cork city at Bandon District Court.
Mr O’Driscoll had previously pleaded guilty at an earlier court to possessing a slash hook, axe, and a wooden handle when he was stopped by gardaí in Granreigh, Kilbrittain on March 31st last year.
The court heard then that when gardaí stopped him the items were found in the front passenger’s footwell in the car.
He said he had been using them to do work at his mother’s house. He couldn’t give an explanation as to why he had them in Kilbrittain at the time.
The court heard that he has 19 previous convictions, including 11 for road traffic offence and Judge John King had directed that a probation report by prepared on Mr O’Driscoll.
At the most recent court sitting, Judge McNulty said there was ‘good and bad’ in the probation report and the defendant has a ‘mixed bag of offending’.
Solicitor Plunkett Taaffe said his client had previously explained to the court about why the items were in his car and said there were not for ‘nefarious purposes’.
‘He accepts he shouldn’t have had them in the car. He suffers from acute anxiety and he apologises to the court. His son had gone through personal difficulties and he was taking him and his friends out for a day trip,’ said Mr Taaffe.
‘He has no business cruising in West Cork with an axe but the court will take into consideration his anxiety,’ said Judge McNulty.
He sentenced him to 90 days in prison but suspended it for two years on the usual conditions that he will agree to keep the peace, be of good behaviour and commit no further offences during that period.
