Man sentenced for possession of weapon

A man who claimed he bought a sawn-off shotgun because his brother became involved in a feud in Mountjoy prison, and later tested the weapon in the Phoenix Park, has been sentenced to four years.

Patrick Dunne (aged 28) of Dunsoghly Avenue, Finglas West said he bought the double-barrelled gun for €1,100 but a check revealed that it had been stolen from a Cavan home.

He brought it to the park and fired three shots before he became frightened by the presence of park rangers and fled, throwing the gun to the ground.

Garda Raymond Buckley told prosecuting counsel Mr Vincent Heneghan BL that two park rangers in the Phoenix Park noticed two men standing beside a car in workmen's jackets. They got out of the car and threw the gun to the ground before driving off.

Garda Buckley said that he spotted Dunne some time later driving a Ford Mondeo which had been stolen the previous month and had had the number plates changed. He was arrested and charged with handling the gun and being in possession of a stolen car.

He was also charged with driving away from petrol stations on three occasions without paying. He admitted his role and said he had the gun for protection because of his brother's situation.

Dunne pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of a stolen car and the stolen weapon and theft of petrol on August 8, 2006.

Defence counsel, Mr Sean Gillane BL, said that his client had 22 previous convictions, mostly for road traffic matters and this offence represented a huge leap for him.

Judge Katherine Delahunt suspended the last two years of the sentence on strict conditions.