A knife collector ran out of his home brandishing a machete to "scare off" a group of youths on bicycles after one had ridden over his foot.

Julio De Lima (26) "took the law into his own hands" when he came out on to the street with the knife, which was a collector's piece.

Dublin District Court heard the group of youths had been outside his home using drugs, engaging in anti-social behaviour and making threats to steal his bike.

Judge Bryan Smyth adjourned the case against him for a pre-sentence probation report.

De Lima, of Ravensdale, Crumlin, pleaded guilty to possession of a weapon at that address last August 4.

Gda Jonathan Griffin said he was called by a member of the public who had seen the accused brandishing a machete.

The witness, who was not part of the group of youths, said she had seen the accused coming out of his flat and threatening people with the knife before running back inside.

When Gda Griffin knocked on the door, De Lima admitted he had been out on the street with a knife and got it for him.

Threaten

The judge remarked that the machete was a "serious-looking weapon".

De Lima denied he had used the knife to threaten anyone, saying he did not try to hurt any of the youths and simply wanted to scare them off.

There had been "certain undesirables" in the area, his barrister said.

Gda Griffin agreed that De Lima had said a number of youths provoked him and threatened to steal his bike, and that one had ridden over his foot the previous day.

He decided to "take the law into his own hands" and made a "foolish, stupid mistake".

The accused's lawyer said the knife was a "collectable".

De Lima had no previous convictions, was a "respect- able, decent, law-abiding man" and was living in Ireland with his wife. He has been here for two years and had worked in construction.

His lawyer asked the judge to consider the incident as a one-off and to leave him without a conviction.

"I had no intention to hurt anybody," De Lima said.

He was remanded on continuing bail to appear again on a date in March.

Online Editors