Brother of murdered republican found not guilty of firearm possession

The brother of murdered dissident republican Alan Ryan and another man have been found not guilty of the possession of an assault rifle and a handgun by direction of the Special Criminal Court.

Vincent Ryan and his co-accused Darragh Evans had pleaded not guilty to the possession of the weapons at Clonshaugh Walk, Coolock, in Dublin on September 15, 2011.

The non-jury court has ruled that there was an insufficient evidential basis to find Vincent Ryan and his co-accused Darragh Evans guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

There was muted applause following the decision and both men walked out the front door of the Criminal Courts of Justice having been in custody since September last year.

Both men denied possession of an AKM assault rifle and Webley-make revolver in September 2011 which were found in a Saab car after a firearm was discharged on Marsfield Avenue in Clongriffin.

Forensic evidence appeared to link them to the weapons find but the court heard these were incomplete, low-level DNA profiles that may not have been a result of direct contact, leading to the court’s decision to acquit the accused men.