Jail sentence for carrying knife in Laois

A jail sentence was handed down to a man who had a knife for his own protection in Portlaoise. 

Damian Fiodorowicz(43) of 29 Carmody Way, Fairgreen, Portlaoise, admitted having a Swiss army knife on the Dublin Road, Portlaoise on May 7 last. 

Garda Sgt JJ Kirby said the defendant was searched after being observed behaving suspiciously and he was “found in possession of a Swiss army switchblade” and arrested at around 1.30pm on the date in question. He said the defendant had 44 previous convictions. 

Solicitor Barry Fitzgerald said his client was serving a prison sentence and had a release date of September 3, 2025. He said the man was serving a sentence for burglary and had a post release suspended sentence hanging over his head. 

Mr Fitzgerald said the court would be aware of his client’s addiction issues. He said the knife was “a form of protection” and “he wasn’t going around looking for trouble.” 

“I would ask the court  to finalise this without extending his release date,” he said. 

Judge Susan Fay imposed a month prison sentence from the date of the court sitting. She issued a destruction order for the knife at the sitting of Portlaoise District Court.