'Knife was for working on photos,' Cork court told

Man pleaded guilty at Bandon District Court to possession of Stanley knife at pub in Kinsale

Judge James McNulty sentenced the man to three months in prison.

A man who has pleaded guilty to possession of a Stanley knife said he had it because he was working on a photo canvas.

Brian Keane, aged 29, pleaded guilty at Bandon District Court to possession of a blade on August 19 last at World's End in Kinsale.

Judge James McNulty heard that at 12.10pm that day, two gardaí observed a male with his hoodie up coming out of a house.

Detective Garda David Barrett spoke to the man, Brian Keane, and Sergeant Paul Kelly told the court that Det Garda Barrett noticed that Keane, of 1A Market Place in Kinsale, was nervous and fidgeting with his right hand.

When asked had he anything in his pocket, Keane said he had and took out the Stanley knife, as well as a mobile phone and a cigarette lighter. The court heard he failed to provide an explanation as to why he had the knife.

The court heard  Keane had 33 previous convictions, including for robbery, theft, and burglary.

His solicitor, Myra Dinneen, said Keane had the knife for his own purposes. "He was going to use it to put photos together on a canvas," she said. "There was no sinister view to it."

Ms Dinneen said Keane is originally from Tralee, Co Kerry, and that he would have had a number of difficulties. He had been staying in Kinsale for two-and-a-half months at the time of the offence.

Judge McNulty noted his plea of guilty and sentenced him to three months in prison.