Kildare man found with weapon outside nightclub receives prison sentence

WHEN gardaí came on a Kildare man outside a nightclub in Portlaoise they found him in a drunken state, threatening door staff and in possession of a small knife and half a scissors.

The defendant Cian Matthews from Maryville Row, Melitta Road, Kildare Town was not present at Portlaoise District Court last week when his case was called.

The 24-year-old had been due to answer to two charges of possessing weapons, being intoxicated in a public place and to engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour at Market Square, Portlaoise on 21 March.

The defendant’s solicitor Barry Fitzgerald said that while his client was not present in court, “he is indicating a plea and has given me instructions”.

He said Mr Matthews “had been evicted the day before the incident. He got a tip-off that there might be room in hostel in Portlaoise. He had been drinking all that day and accepts that he had been obstreperous with the nightclub door staff”.

“He was given two previous opportunities to turn up in court. If he had I would have considered a suspended sentence,” said Judge Andrew Cody, “but he was in possession of a knife and half a scissors and drunk at a nightclub. This is his third no-shows in a row”.

He went on to convict Mr Matthews of possessing weapons and imposed three-month sentences on both charges. He took the other two matters into consideration and fixed recognisance if Mr Matthews wanted to appeal the sentences.