Man admits swinging knife at another at Cork garda station while repeating 'I will behead you'

The defendant has been sent forward for sentencing next week

The incident happened when Emmanuel Ibrahim attended at Togher Garda Station to sign on. File picture: Denis Minihane

“I will behead you,” a 22-year-old man threatened another man at the public office of Togher garda station. He confessed to the crime on Thursday.

Emmanuel Ibrahim signed a plea of guilty to a charge of being in possession of a silver steak knife in the garda station on January 27. The young man also signed a guilty plea to the more serious count of production of a black kitchen knife as he appeared to be about to commit an offence of assault causing harm, in manner likely to intimidate another person.

Judge Catherine Ryan sent the case forward from Cork District Court for sentencing at Cork Circuit Criminal Court on May 20. Defence solicitor, Diarmuid Kelleher, said the young man had been in custody since in incident in January.

When the matter first came before Cork District Court, Sergeant Gary Brennan objected to bail being granted to Emmanuel Ibrahim of Ashbrook Heights, Lehenaghmore, Togher, Cork, on the basis of garda concerns that the accused would be a danger to the public.

“It is alleged that on Tuesday January 27, Emmanuel Ibrahim attended at Togher Garda Station to sign on. While waiting he stood up and removed a silver steak knife from his sock and placed it into his waistband.

“It will be alleged that Emmanuel Ibrahim then removed a larger black knife from his waist band and began swinging it in the air. There was a member of the public awaiting service at the hatch.

“Emmanuel had the large kitchen knife in his right hand when he began to sneak up on the unsuspecting member of the public.

“As Emmanuel reached the member of the public it appears he observed a Garda on the other side of the hatch and immediately placed the knife into his waist band and retreated from the male.

“The member of the public told gardaí that Emmanuel Ibrahim had been repeating 'I will behead you' while he was sitting on the bench. The member of the public tried not to make eye contact or engage with the suspect in any way.

“Gardai tackled the suspect and retrieved the knife from the leg of his trousers. A second knife was located in his underwear during a search in the cell. The incident in its entirety is captured on clear CCTV,” Sgt. Brennan said.

The defendant said at an earlier court appearance: “I swung a knife at someone in the garda station.” Asked if he knew why he did that, he replied: “No”. He said he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia.