HAD KNIFE ‘FOR PICNIC IN DECEMBER’

A 20-year-old who was found to have a knife in a car he was driving had it for a picnic he went on the week before, in December.

Erdogan Yildrim, (30), 89 Castle Ross, Dundalk had denied possession of an offensive weapon at the car park of Tesco at Stapleton Place on December 27.

Gardai said they were interested in the car and Yildrim came over to it. A short time later they found a knife in the driver’s door pocket.

The defendant told them he had it because he had been on a picnic the week before with his family. Inspector Martin Beggy pointed out to Judge Flann Brennan that the detection was made two days after Christmas, at 4.20 in the afternoon.

Inspector Beggy said: ‘ He claimed he had been for a picnic during Christmas week, which would be very unusual’.

Solicitor Peter Lavery said his client ‘accepts the facts as outlined’ and while Yildrim had the implement, it was a small kitchen knife and he had it ‘for a good, lawful purpose’.

Yildrim said he parked the car on December 27 and there were a number of people around it when he returned. He said it was being searched and confirmed the knife was found.

But he added: ‘We had a picnic. It doesn’t matter what month or day, we go on picnics and the knife was there for that.

‘We go on picnics all year round with the family. I didn’t know the knife was still in the car. I have no reason to carry a knife.

‘It was my dad’s car and I had it that day. We had been at the picnic about a week before in Carlingford. It was a sunny day and dry and we went for the picnic’.

But Inspector Beggy asked whether any other items that might be associated with a picnic, such as cups, plates or spoons, had been found in the car.

Yildrim said there wasn’t and restated that he ‘didn’t know the knife was there’.

The defendant’s father gave evidence to the court and told the judge that the ‘ whole family goes on picnics and we put everything into the car’. He said sometimes they would have a barbeque.

Mr Yildrim said he left the knife in the car and added that he ‘sometimes goes fishing as well’. He said: ‘It’s not a good kitchen knife, it is broken’.

Mr Lavery said the search had taken place without the background of a public order incident or violence of any description. He said his client didn’t object to the search.

Mr Lavery said: ‘ This was totally out of character for him and it was his father’s car. He had a good reason for lawfully having the knife’.

But Judge Brennan convicted Yildrim, and was told he has one prior conviction.

The judge said he wanted to see a probation report before finalising the matter and adjourned the case to December 21.