A young Clare man was jailed for 11 months this week for brandishing a knife and “violently resisting” while out on temporary release.
Just days after gardai launched a nationwide awareness campaign which targets young people carrying knives, Daniel Baron received a jail sentence after pleading guilty at Galway District Court to possession of the potentially dangerous weapon at Eyre Square on September 28, 2008. He was also charged with being intoxicated in a public place, threatening and abusive behaviour, and with resisting arrest of Garda Linda McManus.
The 22-year-old with an address at 5 Clonard Beg, Ennis, Clare, had been seen by Garda McManus causing a disturbance in Eyre Square at 5.50am. He suddenly ran off into Rosemary Avenue. When Garda McManus caught up with him Baron turned around and was holding a “knife in his right hand”. The defendant had been clearly intoxicated and “resisted violently” to arrest. Garda McManus added that no injuries were sustained during the incident.
The defendant’s solicitor explained that her client had been on temporary release for three days when the incident occurred and that during this time he had neglected to take prescribed medication which “kept him calm”.
Inspector Ernie White told the court that the defendant had six previous convictions including a two-year sentence for burglary which was imposed by the Galway Circuit Court on October 24, 2007.
“This is most serious. He was carrying a knife while out on temporary release and out of his own area. I would have thought that a condition of release would be that he stay within his own area,” said Judge Mary Fahy who was then told that Baron had completed this sentence and was currently on remand for other charges.
Judge Fahy convicted and sentenced the defendant to a total of 11 months in jail.
