Youth on knife charge barred from Donegal

A 16-year-old youth on a knife charge was barred from County Donegal at a sitting of Glenties District Court yesterday.

The teenager was given bail so long as he stays with a relative in another county.

Glenties District Court heard that the youth was accused of producing a knife to intimidate another person at Gartan Field, Ballyboe, Letterkenny, on November 25.

Inspector Dennis Joyce told Judge Paul Kelly that gardai were concerned that the defendant carried knives and he would like a guarantee, if bail was granted, that the defendant would not carry knives.

Garda Gerard McCready said he was objecting to bail because the defendant had been identified by another person who received three stab wounds.

The garda told the court he also objected to bail because of the seriousness of the alleged offence, the likelihood of interference with witnesses and he was worried for the injured party’s safety. He said the offence carried a maximum penalty of five years in jail and a €5,000 fine.

Defence solicitor Patsy Gallagher said there was an incident but his client maintained it had nothing to do with him. Judge Kelly granted bail so long as the defendant reports daily to a garda station in another county, observes a curfew between 7 pm and 8 a.m., stays out of the county and doesn’t carry or be in possession of a knife.

He adjourned the case to Letterkenny District Court on January 19.