Man swung slash-hook at garda, court hears

A MAN swung a slash-hook at a garda who was trying to arrest another man during a disturbance, it was alleged at Cork District Court yesterday.

Mark O’Sullivan, aged 27, of 36 Bridevalley Park, Fairhill, Cork, was before Cork District Court yesterday on a charge of producing an article capable of inflicting serious injury, namely a 12-inch curved hook on a 4ft handle in the course of a dispute and in a manner likely to intimidate another person.

Inspector Gary McPolin told the court that at 3am on May 16, 2010, gardaí on patrol at Bridevalley saw two men acting suspiciously.

He said gardaí found a short-handled slash-hook on the ground beside where Mark O’Sullivan was standing. The defendant denied responsibility for it.

This defendant was then directed to leave the area but the second man, who became aggressive with gardaí, had to be arrested.

It is alleged that in the course of this arrest the man shouted at O’Sullivan to get the other slash-hook.

The allegation is that O’Sullivan retrieved the long-handled hook from a garden and approached gardaí, swinging it.

A copy of the prosecution statements is to be sent to defence solicitor Frank Buttimer and the case was put back for the defendant to decide if he is pleading guilty or not guilty.