*Photograph: Joe Buckley
A 25-year old Shannon man who survived a murder attempt on his life has escaped jail after he told a judge that he was carrying around a stanley knife in his local town for his own protection.
At Kilrush District Court, Judge Alec Gabbett told Danny Harty Jnr of Inis Eagla, Shannon that he was “within a hair’s breadth of going to jail’ before imposing a suspended two month prison term for the unlawful possession of the Stanley knife at Tullyvarraga, Shannon on Monday evening, April 8th.
After Judge Gabbett imposed the suspended prison term, Mr Harty said to Judge Gabbett: “Can I say one thing before I go – thank you very much”.
Mr Harty told Judge Gabbett, “You are the nicest judge I have come across and I appreciate that”.
Mr Harty told Judge Gabbett that he was carrying around the knife “because I was scared”. Mr Harty said “I apologise Judge.”
Mr Harty’s solicitor, Stiofan Fitzpatrick said that Mr Harty was the victim of a shooting and Judge Gabbett remarked that Mr Harty is the man “who hid behind the wall in Sixmilebridge when the gun went ‘yak, yak, yak’”.
Judge Gabbett said to Mr Harty, “Aren’t you lucky you got behind the wall?”
At the Central Criminal Court last October, Tony McInerney (28), formerly of Glenina, Gort Road, Ennis, Co Clare, was sentenced to 17 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Mr Harty at Pound St, Sixmilebridge on January 18, 2020 over an alleged drug debt.
The Central Criminal Court heard “wild west stuff” had happened that night in Sixmilebridge, with people hiding behind walls and cars.
Concerning the knife charge, Mr Fitzpatrick said, “It wasn’t that Mr Harty was out in public and he was wielding this knife or in pursuit of anyone – it was for his own protection”.
Mr Harty pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession of the knife contrary to the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act and to being drunk in a public place.
Mr Harty has previous convictions and Mr Fitzpatrick said that since Mr Harty has come out of prison he has been welcomed back into the family home and he wasn’t previously.
Mr Fitzpatrick said that if Mr Harty steps out of line that door will shut and Mr Harty knows that.
Judge Gabbett said that he was concerned over the drunk in a public place charge and Mr Fitzpatrick said that Mr Harty has been approved for admission to a treatment centre.
