A one-time Finks bikie associate told police he wears a knife around his neck to protect himself against the club's former South Coast president, Troy Fornaciai.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Police caught Jacob Kyosti Nyrhinen, 39, wearing an 18 centimetre KA-BAR forged steel knife attached to a black cord around his neck when they pulled him over on May 12 last year for a random breath test at Mount Warrigal.
The ex-bikie associate, of Warilla, claimed to police he wore it for "protection with people like Troy Fornaciari after me" - despite Fornaciari being behind bars for the three weeks at the time of the interaction.
Upon being taken to Lake Illawarra police station, Nyrhinen's property was inspected. Police uncovered a black car key inside a man bag, which had been improvised into a sharp knife.
When asked about this, Nyrhinen said: "oh yeah, I forgot about that one. I should have told you", adding that he also kept it on him for protection. Nyrhinen also underwent a drug test and returned a positive result for meth.
Fornaciari, who remains remanded, once brutally bashed Nyrhinen in 2017 after Nyrhinen crashed Fornaciari's $60,000 Harley Davidson during a ride in Dapto.
A few years later, Nyrhinen was stabbed 17 times by six inmates while on remand for a domestic violence offence and spent two days in Blacktown Hospital as a result.
On Tuesday, Nyrhinen was sentenced at Wollongong Local Court after pleading guilty to having custody of a knife, having custody of an offensive implement, and driving with a drug present in his blood.
"It's a shame to see you back for another driving offence, your history doesn't help you," Magistrate Mark Douglass said, adding that knife matters are serious.
"(Having a knife) doesn't de-escalate. It does anything but protect."
Nyrhinen was disqualified from driving for six months, with his weapons forfeited to police.
He was also handed a nine-month community corrections order and must comply with a supervision plan.
Read the latest Illawarra court and crime stories here.
Our news app has had a makeover, making it faster and giving you access to even more great content. Download The Illawarra Mercury news app in the Apple Store and Google Play.
Grace Crivellaro
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
