Cork brothers ran to house of mother's neighbour after he brandished Samurai sword

The defendant's solicitor told the court: “The background here is that there was some sort of disagreement with a neighbour."

The man described as being armed with the sword was not before Cork District Court. File photo: Dan Linehan

Two brothers ran to the scene of a disturbance when they were told that a person living in their mother’s neighbourhood had come out on the street carrying a Samurai sword.

Inspector Jason Lynch described at Cork District Court the incident which occurred in the run-up to Christmas 2020.

Insp. Lynch said the incident happened at Courtown Drive, Knocknaheeny, Cork, on December 12, 2020. The man described as being armed with the sword was not before Cork District Court. Insp. Lynch said 34-year-old Patrick O’Sullivan of 63 Kilmore was arrested for his behaviour at the scene. 

He attempted to push past Garda Paul Moloney to get into a property, insisting he was going in. He had to be pepper-sprayed as he ignored warnings to calm down. His brother Stephen O’Sullivan then arrived at the scene. “He ran at gardaí with his fists raised in a threatening manner,” the inspector said.

Both brothers pleaded guilty to the part they played in the incident.

Donal Daly, solicitor for Patrick O’Sullivan, said: “The background here is that there was some sort of disagreement with a neighbour. The neighbour emerged carrying a Samurai sword, shouting. He was not even present at the time and got a phone call to come to the area. 

"Patrick O’Sullivan was not involved in the build-up to this. The other party with the sword has mental health difficulties.” Judge Marian O’Leary said the two O’Sullivan brothers would have been aware of the mental health difficulties of the man with the sword.

Mr Daly said the gardaí told him that the defendant was “drunk and stupid on the night but is not a bad fellow.” The judge said that if Patrick O’Sullivan paid €300 to the court poor box the charges of obstruction and being drunk and a source of danger would be dismissed under the Probation of Offenders Act.

31-year-old Stephen O’Sullivan of 36 Courtown Drive, Knocknaheeny, Cork, was put on a 12-month probation bond on the charge of engaging in threatening behaviour.

Michael Quinlan said the accused did not dispute the facts except to say that he had his hands up with his palms showing, rather than his fists raised.