A pregnant woman found in possession of a machete claimed that it had been in her caravan because she used it to cut meat for her dog.
This paltry explanation was rubbished by Judge Mary Fahy who said that this dangerous instruement was a weapon and that the court would not accept that it had been used in any domestic or culinary capacity.
At the Galway District Court last Monday Rosemary Maughan (22 ) with an address at 16b Abbotstown Road, Finglas, Dublin 11, pleaded guilty to possession of a machete at Knocknacarra Cross on April 15, 2009.
Inspector Mick Coppinger told the court that Garda Kieran Quinn had been operating a checkpoint when he stopped the defendant’s caravan. Garda Quinn asked the defendant if there were any implements or weapons on board and Maughan handed over a large machete.
The inspector then produced the frightening machete in court explaining that one side was “serrated” while the other was ordinary but sharp. He also added that Maughan had told gardai she had been out in Aran Islands for the day.
Defence solicitor Ian Foley said that his client used the knife to cut up meat and bones for her large Alsatian dog. He added that Maughan had two young children and was pregnant with a third child.
“The size of the dog wouldn’t matter. An ordinary knife would cut meat. Absolutely no way is this court accepting that it was used for any culinary or domestic matters... It wouldn’t be a knife in anybody’s mind. It’s used as a weapon, it wouldn’t be for cutting meat for dogs,” said Judge Fahy.
Maughan was convicted and sentenced to eight months in jail suspended for a period of 12 months on condition that she be of good behaviour and stay out of Galway city and county. She was also fined €500 with three months to pay. Judge Fahy also ordered the destruction of the weapon.
