Limerick man accused of having knife in his pocket

DIRECTIONS are being sought in the case of a County Limerick man who is accused of having a knife with the intention of using it to cause injury or to intimidate members of a family who are allegedly involved in an “ongoing conflict” with him.

Shane Aldridge, 36, of Garrouse, Bruree appeared before Limerick District Court last week after he was charged with a number of offences relating to an incident which occurred near his home earlier this month.

He faces two charges under the Firearms and Offences Weapons Act and one under the provisions of the Public Order Act.

The defendant is accused of unlawfully having a Stanley knife at Garrouse, Bruree at around 11.45pm on March 20, last.

It is alleged the knife was found in one of his pockets after he was stopped and searched by members of the armed Regional Support Unit a short time after they encountered him and two other individuals while on patrol in the area.

One of the charges before the court alleges that he had the knife “to cause injury or to intimidate a person either in a particular eventuality or otherwise”.

The charge goes on to identify a particular family in North Cork “with whom he is in a ongoing conflict”.

During a procedural hearing on Tuesday morning, Sergeant Michelle Leahy told Judge Marian O’Leary a file is being prepared for the DPP and that directions were not yet available.

While Mr Aldridge was previously granted conditional bail, he has been in custody since his arrest as he has not been in a position to take it up.

The case was adjourned, for mention, on April 9, next.