The worker told Gardaí he had “a meat cleaver for cutting the insulation,” according to the court

A WORKER caught late at night in the city center carrying a meat cleaver in his pocket insisted he had used it at his job earlier.

lexandru serbezan, 32, claimed he had cut through the insulation with the hatchet and was on his way home when gardaí stopped him.

Judge Paula Murphy said she found his explanation “very difficult to accept” and adjourned the case in Dublin District Court to allow Gardaí to investigate further.

Mr Serbezan, with an address in Thomas Street, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of the cleaver and another knife.

Garda Sergeant Zita Woods said on February 27 officers went to Thomas Street where it was reported that a man in dark clothing was inside
possession of a knife.

They found Mr. Serbezan with a meat cleaver and a knife hidden in his pocket.

He had no criminal record. The defendant accepted that it was an “axe of considerable size,” his attorney said.

“The only time I’ve ever seen that type of knife was in a butcher’s shop,” Judge Murphy said.

Mr Serbezan worked in isolation and a Stanley blade alone could not cut through them, his lawyer said.

He had worked late and then went to a fast food restaurant. He assumed one of the employees saw the knife in his pocket and called the gardaí.

“I have to say, I’m having a very hard time accepting that,” Judge Murphy said. “It’s a very serious knife.”