Louth man 'seen receiving gun'

A Louth man was seen receive a box containing a pistol and ammunition, the Special Criminal Court heard today.

The man was under garda surveillance at the time, the court heard.

Eugene Kelly (aged 42), Ashling Park, Cox’s Demesne, Dundalk, Co Louth has pleaded not guilty to possession of a 9mm parabellum calibre Glock model 26 semi-automatic pistol and 50 rounds of 9mm parabellum calibre ammunition at Castletown Rd, Dundalk, Co Louth on July 19 last year.

Opening the prosecution case, Tom O’Connell SC told the court that, on July 19 last year, acting on confidential information, gardaí in Dundalk mounted a surveillance operation.

At approximately 1.32pm, Det. Sgt Thomas Healy and others observed a navy Audi park in a carpark on Castletown Rd, the court heard.

Mr O’Connell said the evidence will be that a man named Thomas Kelly was sitting in the driver’s side.

He said that another car, a Toyota Yaris, arrived in the carpark, and that the accused was in the passenger side.

Thomas Kelly carried an orange and black box to the passenger side of the Toyota Yaris and handed the box to the accused, the court heard.

Mr O’Connell said the court will hear that Det. Sgt Bronagh Bergin, who was commanding the surveillance unit, gave the order to stop and search both cars.

Det. Gda Vincent Byrne saw a Meteor phone box in the footwell area of the passenger side of the Toyota Yaris, the court heard.

Mr O’Connell said that Det. Gda Byrne’s evidence will be that he “could clearly see an automatic pistol and a box of ammunition.”

The trial continues.