Jail for young Dublin man who threw away flick knife

A young man threw away a flick knife when he saw a garda patrol car, and then ran from officers when they tried to speak to him, a court heard.

Nathan O’Rourke (22) had denied having the flick knife, claiming he ran because he had a joint in his pocket.

Judge Dermot Dempsey sentenced O’Rourke to two months in prison.

The defendant, with an address at Pinewood Green Lawns in Balbriggan, was found guilty of possession of a black-handled flick knife at Dublin Street in Balbriggan on August 5, 2023. Garda Sean Toner told Swords District Court that he was on mobile patrol around 2pm when he saw O’Rourke walking near St Peter and Paul’s car park.

Gda Toner said he saw O’Rourke throw something away. He said he spoke briefly to the defendant, saying to him, “well, Nathan” and he took off running.

Gda Toner searched the area and found a black-handled flick knife with a two-inch blade.

Defence lawyer Kelly Richardson said O’Rourke denied he had a knife, and claimed the reason he ran from gardaí was because he had a joint in his pocket.

The court heard O’Rourke had 50 previous convictions.

Ms Richardson said O’Rourke was one of six siblings, and he lived with his father.

She said the defendant had experienced explosive behaviour, but was now on medication, attending a day centre and trying to rehabilitate himself.

She asked the judge to be as lenient as possible and not jail O’Rourke.

Imposing a two-month sentence, Judge Dempsey said O’Rourke had gotten a chance when he received a suspended sentence from the circuit court in February last year.