Offaly woman pleads guilty to being in possession of a knife

A TULLAMORE woman pleaded guilty to being in possession of a knife “which had a blade which was sharply pointed” during last week's sitting of Tullamore Court.

Helen Ward, Bay 16, Kilcruttin Halting Site, Tullamore committed the offence on March 21, 2025 in Kilcruttin. Judge Andrew Cody pointed out that Ms Ward's offence happened on the same night that Gardaí with assistance from the Divisional Armed Support Unit responded to a report of shots fired at a residence in Kilcruttin.

Two men, aged in their 30s and 40s, were conveyed from the scene and taken to St. James’s Hospital, Dublin for treatment of serious, not life-threatening, injuries.

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Defending Barrister Paul Noctor told the Court that Ms Ward was “driving to the shops in her husband's jeep” when she was stopped by the Gardais.

He added that she is 34 years of age and has six children, and had “never been in trouble before. She wasn't aware that the knife was in the vehicle.”

Judge Cody ordered that she carry out 80 hours of community service in lieu of a prison sentence, the community service to be completed within a 12 months period. He also made an order for the destruction of the knife.