Donegal man pulled knife in a shop and threatened to cut off boy's tongue for 'misbehaving'

A knife-wielding man warned a young boy in a shop he would cut off his tongue for misbehaving, a court has heard.

John Boyce, 62, pulled out the two-and-a-half inch blade in front of the seven-year-old in Co Donegal last year.

Judge Paul Kelly said “The fact he took out a knife is extraordinary behaviour.”

Letterkenny District Court was told the boy had been in McMahon’s Xtra Supermarket in Milford with his mother on July 24 and had been acting up.

Sgt Gerard Dalton said the woman went to a Garda station and made a complaint to gardai.

John Boyce leaving Letterkenny District Court where he was chargd with possession of a dangerous weapon. (North West Newspix)

The incident was also recorded on CCTV.

The defendant’s solicitor Patsy Gallagher said his client had the knife in his pocket as he was a farmer and he used it for cutting the wrap from silage bales.

He added Boyce, from Upper Tullagh, Carrigart, had intended to help the boy’s mother as he had been misbehaving in the shop. The solicitor said his client now realised what he did was foolish and he wanted to apologise.

Boyce had been charged with possessing a weapon.

The judge adjourned the case for a probation and community service report.