Man pleads guilty to submachine gun and ammunition possession

The fourth member of a gang caught with guns by gardaí in Co Offaly last year has pleaded guilty to the possession of a submachine gun and ammunition.

Sergio Machado Filho (37), with an address at Temple Bar, Dublin 2, appeared before Tullamore Circuit Criminal Court on Friday afternoon in connection to an alleged foiled shooting incident at River Street, Clara, Co Offaly, on May 27th, 2020.

Garnet Orange SC, prosecuting, said Mr Machado Filho, who is in custody, could be arraigned on two counts for possession of a 9mm submachine gun and four 12-gauge shotgun cartridges.

Three other men have already been sentenced to a total of 12 years arising from the incident.

Plastic gloves

Ildomar Cabrar da Silva (29) of no fixed abode, Jefferson Dos Santos (35) and Hugo Henrique Rodrigues (23), both of Ballymahon, Co Longford, all pleaded guilty to firearms offences and breaching Covid-19 regulations.

They were sentenced last December at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court.

The gang, it was revealed, were wearing plastic gloves when stopped and arrested by gardaí while travelling armed through Clara village.

The court heard their objective was to “frighten a particular individual” but that the planned use of firearms had the capacity to go “fatally wrong”. The gang had got lost twice on the way to their intended target.

Mr Machado Filho was remanded in custody until June 29th.