Man (21) charged over stabbing incident in Co Cork

Cillian Wolfe went before court accused of violent disorder and intimidating a witness

A man has been remanded in custody after he was charged by gardai investigating the stabbing of a 19-year-old during a row between two groups of youths in Cork last week.

Cillian Wolfe (21), of The Fairways, Little Island, was brought before a special sitting of Cork District Court over the weekend and charged with two offences arising out of the incident in Ballyphehane on Tuesday.

Mr Wolfe was charged with violent disorder in that he was present with others and used or threatened to use violence at Pearse Square, Ballyphehane on April 7th, contrary to Section 15 of the Criminal Justice Public Order Act 1994 .

He was also charged with a second offence of intimidating a witness on April 8th, contrary to Section 41 of the Criminal Justice Act 1999.

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Det Garda Bríd Norris of Togher Garda station said gardaí were objecting to bail because they feared that Mr Wolfe would commit further crimes and would not stand trial if released on bail.

Mr Wolfe’s solicitor, Frank Buttimer, said his client was seeking bail. After consideration of the alleged facts in the case, Judge Olann Kelleher refused bail.

Insp Seán McCarthy said gardaí were seeking a remand in custody for Mr Wolfe to appear again at Cork District Court on April 15th. Judge Kelleher granted the application.

Questioning

Meanwhile gardaí, as part of the same investigation, arrested a 19-year-old on Saturday for questioning about the incident in Pearse Square.

The teenager, who is from the Ballyphehane area, was arrested under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act which allows gardai detain suspects for up to 24 hours and was questioned until the early hours of Sunday morning.

The teenager was later released without charge and gardaí will now prepare a file on his involvement in the matter for the Director of Public Prosecution.

Meanwhile, the 19-year-old from the Togher area, who received a number of stab wounds to the side during the incident in Pearse Square, remains in a stable condition at Cork University Hospital after undergoing surgery.

Gardaí later arrested a man in his 40s in the Ballyphehane area on Sunday and brought him to Togher Garda Station for questioning about the same incident in Pearse Square on April 7th.

The man was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act which allows gardaí detain suspects for up to 24 hours but he was released on Sunday evening and a file in relation to his involvement will be prepared for the DPP.

Barry Roche

Barry Roche

Barry Roche is Southern Correspondent of The Irish Times