Longer sentences demanded for Limerick gun crimes

MINISTER of State for Foreign Affairs Peter Power yesterday demanded lengthy jail sentences for people convicted of gun crime in Limerick.

Mr Power told a meeting of Limerick city’s joint policing committee that the city had a serious gun crime problem when the Shane Geoghegan murder was raised.

“People convicted of gun crime should face extremely lengthy sentences and that is what the people of Limerick are telling me. They want these people convicted of gun crime put way for lengthy periods,” Mr Power said. “It is important this message goes from this meeting and is conveyed to the Minister for Justice.”

Chief Supt Gerry Mahon, head of the Limerick garda division, detailed the huge resources put into the murder investigation.

Chief Supt Mahon said: “It will be a long, protracted investigation, but we are making progress. All resources in the division locally and resources from national units are being dedicated to this investigation. We have the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, emergency response unit, organised crime unit, national drugs unit all operating in the city investigating this murder.”

Extra Criminal Assets Bureau resources had also been deployed.

He said a gang based on the southside of the city were the main targets of their operation and drugs worth €500,000 and five firearms belonging to them had recently been seized.

He said 56 illegally-held firearms have already been seized in the city this year.

Former justice minister, Michael Noonan said young people had been telling him there had been a big increase in the availability of heroin in Limerick over the past two months.

Chief Supt Mahon said there had been an overall increase in heroin use nationally which was a great concern. Of the €3 million worth of drugs seized in Limerick this year, 42% was heroin.

Chief Supt Mahon said their major concern was a gang involved in the city feud who are dealing drugs, and the response they are receiving in the Shane Geoghegan investigation will help take this gang off the streets.

Mayor John Gilligan said the courts should not be sending out mixed messages by not imposing minimum sentences.

He also said career criminals with up to 70 convictions should not be getting free legal aid.

Mayor Gilligan said: “Last year I did not known whether to laugh or cry when in Limerick District Court the defence solicitor on free legal told the court that his client had booked a holiday in Spain.”