Tipperary man, 76, used false passport to travel between Ireland and the UK for 10 years
Accused's solicitor told court there was 'a lengthy explanation for the reasons he acquired the passport'.
A 76-year-old man who brought an air-rifle back from the UK to his home in Ballyporeen travelled regularly for 10 years on a passport in a false name.
Thomas Ryan, of 9 Riverview, Ballyporeen, Co Tipperary, pleaded guilty to charges arising out of the case at Cork District Court.
Detective Garda Joanne O’Sullivan of the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation gave evidence of the background to the offences of giving false information to obtain a passport and possession of a firearm, 5.5 calibre Crossman Phantom model air rifle.
Det Garda O’Sullivan said false information was supplied by the accused to get a passport in another man’s name and this falsely obtained passport was then used 10 years later in an attempt to get a replacement passport online more recently.
Frank Buttimer, solicitor, said: “The gun was found in the course of a search. It was determined to be a firearm.”
Mr Buttimer said the man had been living and working in the UK for many years.
“There is a lengthy explanation for the reasons he acquired the passport,” the solicitor said but did not go into it in detail in court.
As for the air-rifle, he said there was nothing sinister about it and the pensioner had it for shooting “vermin and pheasant”.
Judge Olann Kelleher said his concern was that the passport in the false name was being used regularly for 10 years to travel between Ireland and the UK.
However, the judge imposed a nine-month suspended sentence on the 76-year-old.
“I will give him a break if he wants to lead his life in a proper fashion in Ballyporeen from now on,” Judge Kelleher said at Cork District Court.
