A man who supplied the gun used to kill a heroin dealer, Anthony Beatty, has been jailed for three years.
Christopher Dwyer (51), Beresford Street, Dublin, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a .22 calibre revolver on November 30th, 1997, the day Beatty was murdered.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard he had blamed Beatty for the death of his stepson, Mark Dwyer, who was murdered by Joe Delaney and his son, Scott, on December 14th, 1996. Both Delaneys are serving life sentences for the murder.
Det Sgt Eunan said Christopher Dwyer remained traumatised after the death of his stepson.
He said both Dwyers had insisted that the gun was intended to "frighten" but not murder Anthony Beatty.
Beatty was drinking upstairs with friends in the Wild Heather pub in Mary Street on November 30th, the court heard.
Christopher Dwyer had been observing Beatty while drinking in the same pub.
Dwyer went to Beresford Street to meet his brother, John, and two other men, who took possession of the revolver, the court was told.
The men went to the pub, and a gunman wearing a balaclava opened fire on Beatty. The firearm was found beside the body. Mr Niall Durnin, defending, appealed for leniency and asked the court to deal with Dwyer non-custodially. He said Dwyer had remained out of trouble for 26 years and had run a successful roofing businesses with his brother. He "went to the dogs" after Mark Dwyer's death. However, Judge O'Donnell said that Christopher Dwyer was the main instigator in the plot and had expected to get away with it.