Man found carrying loaded handgun arrested

A MAN arrested in Limerick early yesterday was found to be carrying a loaded handgun.

It is understood gardaí followed the man after he left O’Malley Park and later intercepted him.

He was taken to Roxboro Road Garda Station and the gun has been sent to Garda headquarters in Dublin to be forensically examined.

The man, according to sources, had moved out of Limerick some years ago after he was targeted in a gun attack.

Meanwhile, also yesterday in a separate incident, gardaí in Limerick recovered two handguns and a rifle when they searched an area near the home of a known feud family.

The crime situation in Limerick and recent feud murders will be discussed at a meeting of the city’s joint policing committee this afternoon which will be attended by Chief Supt Willie Keane and other senior officers.

The meeting was due to be open to the press. However, the chairman, Cllr Kevin Kiely, was told by officials at City Hall that a failure to publish a 14-day notice in the local media meant the meeting was not open to the media.

But Cllr Kiely said last night he intends to open the meeting to the media. “There has been a mix-up about publishing the meeting, but I think everything should be out in the open and transparent. There are no hidden agendas. There has to be 14 days’ notice according to the legislation but I feel, in the circumstances, we should open the meeting. This will be one of the most important meetings of the committee given the level of feud crimes in the city in recent weeks. The meetings have been very beneficial and the gardaí have been excellent in their dealings with the public representatives. Obviously people will be anxious to know what transpires at this meeting and what the gardaí will say about recent violence.”