A 20-year-old man was jailed for five years by the Special Criminal Court yesterday for having a pistol and ammunition on Dublin’s northside last year.
Ciaran Burke (20) of Ferrycarrig Park, Coolock pleaded guilty last September to the unlawful possession of a 9mm parabellum Glock semi-automatic pistol and 13 rounds of 9mm parabellum ammunition at the N32, Coolock on July 2nd, 2012.
Burke was granted bail by the non-jury court in July last year but voluntarily re-entered custody two months later.
The court heard that as a result of confidential information relating to dissident republican activity in the Dublin area gardaí stopped a taxi on the N32 slip road leading from the Malahide Road to the M50. Burke who was a passenger in the car had Glock pistol was wrapped in a sock in his jacket pocket.
Burke’s counsel Aileen Donnelly, SC, said he had no previous convictions.
Prosecuting counsel Garnet Orange said the DPP was not proceeding with another charge against Burke of IRA membership.
Burke is a grandson of Independent Dublin city councillor and former Sinn Féin member Christy Burke who was in court for the sentence hearing.