Gardaí threatened with large kitchen knife by man
A young man who was never in trouble before threatened to stick a kitchen knife in gardaí and warned that he would take 20 officers.
The scene was described yesterday at Cork District Court in relation to an early-hours incident at a house at Skehard Road, Cork.
Four armed officers from the Regional Support Unit had to assist their Garda colleagues to restore order and arrest the young man.
Ryan Wall, of 1 The Grove, Skehard Road, Blackrock, Cork, pleaded guilty yesterday to a charge of threatening to kill gardaí. Detective Garda Paul Radley charged Wall with the offence which specified that the accused man threatened gardaí by brandishing and waving a large kitchen knife at them.
Sergeant John Kelleher said yesterday that on December 22, 2018, at 2.40am, Garda Seán Kelliherr and Garda Martin Harrington were called to The Grove on Skehard Road.
Gardaí were invited into the house by another person.
“The gardaí observed the defendant with a large kitchen knife in a struggle (with another party),” said Sgt Kelleher. “The defendant moved towards them and continued to shout at them: ‘Get out, get the fuck out!’. The defendant got within three feet of the gardaí and held a knife up to them.
“Gardaí retreated from the house and called the Regional Support Unit for armed assistance.
“The defendant continued to make threats to the gardaí from the doorway, shouting: ‘I’ll take 20 of you. I don’t care’. The defendant told gardaí present: ‘If ye come in I’ll stick it in ye.’
“(Others present) pleaded with him to stop the aggressive behaviour, but he refused.
“Four armed members entered the house and instructed Ryan Wall to drop the knife, which he did. While trying to arrest him, his demeanour changed again and he violently resisted arrest.”
He was arrested for threats to kill, contrary to the Non-fatal Offences Against the Person Act.
Joseph Cuddigan, solicitor, said: “Given the bizarre nature of what was outlined, there is obviously a psychiatric underlay here.”
The judge requested a probation report, and put sentencing back for two months.
