Man to be sentenced later on firearms charges

A father-of-two will be sentenced later for possessing a shotgun and ammunition which he claimed he had for clay-pigeon shooting.

Gardai found the gun in the shed of Peter Kenny (aged 37) after they obtained a warrant to search his house for drugs.

Kenny of Kilmartin Avenue, Tallaght, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of the gun, 29 rounds and a small amount of heroin at his home on July 5, 2007.

He faces a minimum five-year sentence for having the gun which gardaí believe he was holding onto for someone else. It is Kenny’s second conviction for possession of a firearm.

Garda Mark Rowntree told prosecuting counsel, Mr Colm O’Briain BL, he and his colleagues went to Kenny’s house and his partner answered the door. They saw Kenny sitting in the living room with a bag of around €70 worth of heroin.

The gun was found wrapped in packaging in the shed and was loaded with one round. Kenny also pointed out a gun belt containing extra ammunition. He was arrested and told gardaí in interview he had the shotgun for clay-pigeon shooting but Gda Rowntree said he did not accept this.

Gda Rowntree said he had 20 previous convictions including a three-year sentence for a previous gun possession charge. Other offences included drug dealing and theft.

Defence counsel, Mr Bernard Condon SC, said Kenny lived with his partner and two young children and had a supportive family. He submitted he had immediately admitted the gun was his and had co-operated with gardaí in the search.

Mr Condon said Kenny started using ecstasy at a young age and this led to a heroin addiction. He said he had got himself clean for a while but started using heroin again after being introduced to cocaine.

Judge Tony Hunt said he need time to consider a sentence and to decide if the mandatory minimum term of five years applies. He remanded Kenny in custody until finalisation in June.