'Gun-minder' given two-year sentence

A teenager who was shot three times and whose family home was petrol-bombed after gardaí arrested him for possession of firearms has been given a two years sentence by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Wayne Brown (aged 19) of Barry Drive, Finglas West was shot twice in the leg - losing half his kneecap in one of these shootings - and was shot once in the arm.

Defence counsel, Mr Erwan Mill-Arden SC, said Brown instructed him that he was threatened "by others" that "you either hold the gun or it will be used on you".

Mr Mill-Arden told Judge Katherine Delahunt that Brown's parents separated when he was a young child and said his mother "was a wonderful, wonderful person" who worked four jobs to support the family.

"The house was picked on by sinister people because there was no man living there," Mr Mill Arden said.

Brown accepted full responsibility for a .22 rifle and 25 rounds of ammunition found in his home by gardaí replied "no comment" when asked by them if he was holding the cache for someone else.

He pleaded guilty to possession of the rifle and ammunition at his home on July 17, 2006 and had 12 previous convictions that were all dealt with in the District Court.

Judge Delahunt suspended the last nine months of the sentence on strict conditions having noted his young age and that he now had a disability as a result of losing half his kneecap. She said she accepted he came from a good respectable family and his mother worked four jobs to support her three children.

"I have no doubt you realise the shame you have brought to your family," Judge Delahunt told him.

Detective Garda John O'Hare told prosecuting counsel, Mr Dominic McGinn BL, that 22 rounds of the ammunition were found in socks in Brown's sister's bedroom, while the rifle and three rounds of ammunition were found elsewhere in the house.

Det Garda O'Hare rejected a suggestion from Mr Mill-Arden that Brown was put under pressure to hold the firearms. He agreed that Brown told gardai during interview that he never fired or handled the rifle and that he didn't even try the bullets in the gun.

Det Garda O'Hare accepted that Brown's family home had been petrol bombed and he has been shot once in the arm and twice in the leg, one of which meant the loss of half his kneecap.

He said Brown "had failed to co-operate with gardai in relation to the attacks" but he didn't accept this was because he was afraid to do so, though he accepted these were Mr Mill-Arden's instructions.