Portlaoise Court: Man accused of threatening to burn down garda station

A MAN who went into a garda station, stuck a knife into the counter and allegedly told gardaí that he would be back to burn the place down was remanded in custody when he was brought before Portlaoise District Court last week.

Stephen Clarke, Apartment 5, Tom Moore House, Tullamore was charged with possession of a knife and criminally damaging the counter of Tullamore Garda Station causing €500 worth of damage on 26 February.

The court heard that at 11.50pm that night, gardaí observed the defendant entering the public area of the garda station with a kitchen knife and sticking it into the counter. He waited for about five minutes before retrieving the knife and allegedly shouted that he would be back to burn the place down.

He then left the garda station with the knife and was arrested on Main Street and held overnight before appearing in Portlaoise court last Thursday afternoon.

Defending solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick told Judge Andrew Cody: “He went to the garda station looking for help.” She said that her 27-year-old client had previously been at his doctor’s seeking assistance and had attended Tullamore hospital on 28 occasions, where he also received no help.

“He was in foster care until he was 18. Once he reached that age, he was given a set of keys (accommodation) and left to his own devices, but that doesn’t excuse him for what he did at the garda station,” she said.

Asked by Ms Fitzgerald if gardaí feel that her client is in need of medical assistance, they replied that he “probably does”.

An arresting detective said there was no member at the hatch when Mr Clarke went into the garda station.

He said gardaí had “concerns when he left the garda station and went out into the public domain. When we told him he was going to be arrested, he put his hand in his pocket where the knife was”.

Ms Fitzpatrick said that Mr Clarke “denies that he allegedly threatened to burn down the place”.

However, the detective was adamant that he recalled the defendant allegedly saying: “I’ll be back and I’ll burn this place to the ground”.

Taking the stand, Mr Clarke said that he accepts that he had a knife and that he stuck it in the counter. He said he didn’t recall saying that he’d burn the station down.

He said: “I went into the station very panicky. I was talking to a garda, but he ignored me. I remember shaking out of frustration. I went to my doctor, but he wouldn’t prescribe medication. I extinguished all the resources I knew and went to the gardaí to see if they could help me. I had the knife, but I had no intention of harming anyone. I had it to hurt myself. I really didn’t see any other way out. Basically, I was looking for help.” 

 Sergeant JJ Kirby asked the defendant: “Do you remember going into the garda station with the knife?” 

 He replied: “When the garda turned his back on me, I got panicky. I was going through withdrawal of my drugs as well. I remember banging the knife down. I wanted them to apprehend me. I was looking to be arrested and looking for help. I never had anything against the gardaí. I did shout. I was trying to get them to come out and to help me.

“There’s an ongoing issue in my apartment with some other people and I told the guards, the landlord and the council. It was getting out of hand and getting to the stage where it was affecting my health and I was felling suicidal. I’m still in need of help. Everything was getting to me, with the withdrawals and the noise (in the apartment).” 

 Mr Clarke said that when the gardaí were arresting him that he complied fully with their directions.

Judge Cody remanded Mr Clarke in custody with consent to bail and to appear again at the next sitting of Tullamore District Court.