Teen accused of firearm possession further remanded in custody

A teenager, who allegedly discarded a loaded revolver which fired off a round of ammunition when it hit the ground, was further remanded in custody at the Dublin Children's Court today.

The boy (aged 17) was arrested on October 30 last after a handgun was seized at East Road, in East Wall, Dublin 3.

The teen, who cannot be identified because he is a juvenile, was remanded in custody by the Dublin Children's Court on November 1 last after he was charged with two counts under the Firearms Act for possessing a loaded .38 Webley revolver and five rounds of ammunition.

Today, accompanied to the proceedings by his father, the teen made his fifth court appearance where Judge Bryan Smyth ordered a further four-week remand in custody.

The defence intend to make submissions to plead for the case to be kept in the juvenile court's jurisdiction and not sent to the Circuit Court, which has wider sentencing powers.

Garda James King of Store Street station has told the court earlier that the teenager had been under surveillance and fled when gardaí approached him.

He had said the weapon was allegedly loaded, wrapped in a cloth and “in his possession in suspicious circumstances”.

Garda King had said the teenager threw a package, which allegedly contained the gun, over a fence into a garden on East Road.

“At this point it discharged a round of ammunition having landed on cobblestones in the driveway,” Garda King had also told the court.