A former rickshaw driver who says he fled atrocities in Palestine and required four gardaí to arrest him in central Dublin has received a fully suspended sentence for weapons-related offences.
Mahdi Kmail (34) was convicted at Dublin District Court of offences involving weapons and obstruction on dates in August and December 2025, reports Breaking News.
Judge John Hughes noted that the accused had previously taken six bench warrants before the case proceeded to hearing.
The court rejected Kmail’s explanation that he had been wrongly accused after giving a flower to a woman who responded with “Free Palestine,” following which he claimed he was detained in error.
However, An Garda Síochána told the court the man had been acting erratically in public and was shouting about Israel and the Israeli Defence Forces, reports Breaking News.
The judge imposed a six-month prison sentence but suspended it in full on condition that Kmail does not reoffend for two years and completes psychological therapy under supervision.
Kmail, of Celbridge, had 11 previous convictions, mainly for motoring offences including speeding and documentation breaches.
He had pleaded not guilty, claiming that on one occasion at Burgh Quay he carried a knife for gutting fish and also had tools for household maintenance, reports Breaking News.
Garda evidence disputed his account, with Garda Jack Bradshaw stating the accused never mentioned a fishing trip at the time of arrest and that the knife was only discovered later during a search at the station.
The court heard that the accused was also arrested on a separate occasion where he again possessed a knife but did not inform officers of its presence, reports Breaking News.
The defence argued that CCTV footage could have supported his account, but gardaí said no relevant cameras covered the area.
Kmail also claimed he was falsely accused of drug dealing after handing a flower to a woman, a claim rejected by prosecution evidence, reports Breaking News.
Under questioning, he conceded that his alleged fishing trip had taken place days earlier, but said he kept the knife wrapped in his bag for safety.
He also told the court he was trying to understand what was happening during his arrest and denied resisting, claiming he was assaulted, reports Breaking News.
Defence barrister Paul Larkin Coyle urged leniency, telling the court his client had experienced trauma in Palestine and had come to Ireland seeking safety, had worked since arriving, and had no history of addiction.
However, the judge noted that on both occasions Kmail was found in possession of knives and had not informed gardaí about them, reports Breaking News.
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