Cork man caught with knife in early hours told gardaí it was for 'gutting mackerel'

Man also accused of using brick to smash window of car and on another occasion a concrete block to break apartment window

Jason Nagle, with an address at Chapel Street, off Shandon Street, Cork, was jailed for eight months at Cork District Court. Picture: Larry Cummins

A 45-year-old man used bricks to smash his way into a car and to break the window of an apartment and when caught with a knife shortly before six o’clock in the morning he claimed it was for gutting mackerel.

Now he has been jailed for eight months at Cork District Court.

Sergeant John Kelleher said gardaí responded to a call to Baker’s Road, Cork, shortly before 5am on April 10, 2020, after the window of a parked car had been smashed.

Officers checked the area and soon afterwards they found Jason Nagle, with an address at Chapel St, off Shandon St, Cork, sitting on the side of Harbour View Road with a car radio in his possession and he could not account for it.

He then told gardaí he remembered breaking the window of a car with a rock.

Just over two months later at a similar hour of the day, gardaí encountered him at 5.54am on June 26, 2020, on St Patrick’s Street.

On that occasion, gardaí noticed he had dry blood on his hand.

“He was nervous and evasive when questioned about the dry blood. A knife was found in his possession. He said he had it for gutting mackerel,” Sgt Kelleher said.

“At 5.54am?” Judge Olann Kelleher asked. The sergeant confirmed that gutting mackerel was the explanation Nagle gave for having the knife.

In a third incident involving Jason Nagle around this time, gardaí encountered him after he used part of a concrete block to break a window at an apartment at Coppergate, off Anglesea Street.

The owner of the property said she saw a man outside wearing a dark cap and jacket. He was captured on CCTV and later identified as the defendant.

He was arrested in Cork City a short time later in a highly intoxicated condition.

Jason Nagle had 93 previous convictions, including 14 counts of causing criminal damage, two for burglary and 12 thefts.

Eddie Burke, defence solicitor, said the 45-year-old had asked for sentencing to be adjourned before Christmas. He has health difficulties and started drinking extremely heavily when his child got sick.

Judge Kelleher imposed an overall sentence of eight months on Nagle for his latest crimes.