Possession of guns and ammunition in the present climate is a matter that "has to attract a prison sentence", a senior judge has warned.
Judge Carroll Moran made his comments at Limerick Circuit Court yesterday, where he imposed separate jail sentences in three cases, all of which involved firearms.
In the most serious case, a 34-year-old Limerick man was jailed for six years after he admitted having a gun, which was given to him for the purposes of killing a man murdered in a gangland hit a month later.
Andrew Ryan of Pineview Gardens, Moyross, Limerick, pleaded guilty to possession of a Walther PPK semi-automatic pistol on March 11th last.
Ryan told gardaí that he was given the gun with instructions to kill Noel Campion, a gangland figure who was murdered on April 26th last while Ryan was in custody.
When gardaí asked who gave him the gun, Ryan said "I might as well kill myself if I tell you," the court heard. According to Garda evidence, the gun had six bullets in its magazine when found in Ryan's tracksuit pocket on the night of his arrest.
Yesterday, before imposing sentence, the judge said even though the accused said he never intended killing Campion, it was on this instruction that he had been given the gun.
It was an aggravating factor that Ryan had been apprehended outside the home of the intended target.
The judge said that possession of firearms and ammunition had to be treated in a most "severe way in the present climate in Limerick city" and described the facts of Ryan's case as "particularly grievous".
The judge accepted previous Garda evidence that Ryan had himself been a target of people "whom one would be fearful of" and sentenced him to six years in prison.
In a second case involving firearms yesterday, the 20-year-old nephew of Noel Campion was jailed for three years for possession of a revolver on the day that his uncle was murdered. John Campion, formerly of Creaval Park, Moyross, pleaded guilty to possession of a Smith & Wesson .38 revolver and five live rounds of .38 ammunition for an unlawful purpose at Craeval Park on April 26th last.
He told gardaí he had the gun for his own protection as his uncle's killers were taunting him that he was the only male Campion left standing.
Before imposing sentence, the judge said that he accepted that other parties saw John Campion, who had no previous convictions prior to this event, as a "soft target", even though he had no involvement in any feud in the city. "The public and the Oireachtas expect judges to make an effort to impose sentences that will reduce the use of firearms," he said. "It is quite unacceptable to be in possession of a firearm, even for your own protection."
A 44-year-old man was also jailed at Limerick Circuit Court yesterday for possession of a firearm and ammunition. David Nolan of John Carew Park, Limerick, and Steamboat Quay, Limerick, pleaded guilty to possession of a 9mm Glock semi-automatic pistol and 10 rounds of 9mm Luger and Howitzer ammunition at 78 Start Court, John Carew Park, Limerick, on November 7th, 2005.
Before jailing Nolan for two years, the judge said he accepted Garda evidence that the defendant was concealing the gun to protect a relative.
The judge described the offence as a "misguided attempt" to protect this relative who was heavily involved in criminality, even though he himself wasn't involved in crime and had only one minor previous conviction.