Judgement reserved in firearms trial

The Special Criminal Court has reserved judgement at the trial of a Louth man accused of possessing a firearm and ammunition.

Eugene Kelly (aged 43), 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.

During the trial, the court heard that gardaí observed a man named Thomas Kelly in a navy Audi in a car park on Castletown Rd in Dundalk on the day in question.

The court heard that another car, a Toyota Yaris, arrived in the car park, 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.

The court was told 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.

Det. Gda Byrne told the court that he “could clearly see an automatic pistol and a box of ammunition.”