'Vulnerable' man jailed for storing drugs and gun

A “vulnerable man” who stored a semi-automatic pistol, 13 rounds of ammunition and €30,000 worth of drugs at his home for a “sinister figure” was sentenced to two and a half years by Judge Martin Nolan.

Liam Quirke, of Cleegan Avenue in Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm, 13 rounds of ammunition and 3.47kg of cannabis resin and 50g of cocaine at his house on November 28, 2008.

Garda Robert Smith told Mr Kerida Naidoo BL, prosecuting, that he obtained a warrant to search Quirke’s home.

He found a 9mm Pietro Beretta handgun in a plastic bag on an armchair and 13 rounds of bullets. He also found 11 bars of cannabis resin in a plastic bag on the couch.

Quirke told gardai there was an air rifle, two more bars of cannabis resin and 50g of cocaine in the house.

Gda Smith said Quirke told him he met a man several weeks prior who was supplying him with “blow” and became involved in storing the items as he “was afraid of the man.”

“He needed somewhere to stay so I let him stay with me for a while but I did not realise he was such a significant figure as he was,” admitted Quirke.

“I only found out recently who he is and if I tell I am dead,” said Quirke. “I told him I didn’t want to deal but I was holding the drugs for him because I just got involved.

“He would ring me and say someone wanted a bit of hash and I’d meet them and I’d give them the hash. I got paid in hash for the deals.”

Gda Smith said the serial number on the handgun had been removed and it was functional. The bullets found were suitable to be used in the handgun. The air rifle was defective and could not be fired.

Quirke admitted the air rifle and 11 of the bars of cannabis were his and he had the drugs for about one month as he “could not get rid of them".

“He seems to be a man who is a loner and incapable of withstanding pressure from those who seek to use him,” said Judge Nolan.

“This is a sad case as he was used to store drugs obviously by smarter and tougher people. But he has committed serious offences.”