Mark Desmond found guilty in court today

The families of two murder victims clapped and cheered when a Central Criminal Court jury today found a 27-year-old Dublin guilty of firearms charges.

After deliberating for more than two hours, the jury unanimously convicted Mark Desmond, formally of Lally Road, Ballyfermot of unlawful possession of four guns and one shotgun cartridge with intent to endanger life between October 1, 1999 and February 17, 2000.

The accused had denied the charge.

As the verdict was read out, the families of Darren Carey and Patrick Murray shouted "you murderer". Another shouted: " I hope Darren will come back and haunt you" while others wept openly.

The two men, aged 19 and 20, were shot in the head and their bodies dumped in the Grand Canal in Co Kildare between late December 1999 and January 2000. The accused was due to stand trial for the murders but the DPP dropped the charges the day the trial was due to begin.

After the guilty verdict was read out, Mark Desmond claimed he was innocent. He said he "was going to fight this case until I’m dead and my family will as well."

The accused had sacked his legal team before the trial and defended himself throughout the case, which lasted three-and-a-half weeks. According to sources close to the case, Mark Desmond was tutored in Portlaoise prison by Patrick Dutchy Holland, the man named in court as the killer of journalist Veronica Guerin.

At the close of trial, the accused invoked a little used section of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 which allows a defendant representing himself to prevent the prosecution making a closing speech.

After today's verdict, Det Inspector Padraig Kennedy read out the accused’s previous convictions including robbery, assaulting police officers and the unauthorised taking of a car. During the robbery of a car in Westminstown, Lucan in 1994 the owner received stab wounds to the knee and forehead. While making his escape the accused drove the stolen car at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour around Ballyfermot and Clondalkin. He then rammed three police officers before crashing the stolen car, Det Inspector Kennedy said.

Mr Justice Liam McKechncie will deliver sentence this afternoon.

The maximum penalty for unlawful possession of guns with intent to endanger life is up to life imprisonment.