Brothers charged at special court sitting over gun seizure close to Limerick-Cork border

TWO BROTHERS have been refused bail after gardai alleged that they were involved in the sourcing and distribution of firearms to criminal elements when they were charged with firearm offences.

Gary Walsh, aged 40, and Damien Walsh, 32, were both charged at a special sitting of Mallow District Court on Friday with two firearms offences each after gardai stopped and searched a car in Charleville in North Cork at 11pm on Wednesday night.

Both men were charged on Friday with possessing and having under their control a .22 Calibre Long Rifle 3D Printed Harlot Pistol and with possessing and having under their control five .22 Calibre Long Rifle ammunition at Rathgoggin South, Charleville on August 20.

Detective Garda James McCarthy gave evidence of arrest charge and caution in relation to Gary Walsh, of Retail Park, Kilmallock, County Limerick and Damien Walsh, of Trabolgan Road, Whitegate, County Cork. The detective neither man made any replay to the charges after caution.

Detective Inspector John O’Connell said gardai were objecting to bail due to the seriousness of the charges. Det Garda McCarthy said the offences carried a maximum penalty of 14 years upon conviction on indictment before giving an outline of the alleged facts.

He said gardai searched an Opel Corsa being driven by Gary Walsh with Damien Walsh in the passenger seat at a filling station in Charleville and alleged they found a loaded 3D printed handgun, which was a viable firearm, in the space between their seats by the handbrake

Det Garda McCarthy said that the State would allege that Gary Walsh was involved in the sourcing and supply of firearms and they would base this allegation on videos and WhatsApp voice recordings found on Gary Walsh’s phone.

He alleged the videos showed the gun being handled by a hand with a tattoo and the tattoo appeared to match a tattoo on Gary Walsh’s hand while there was also commentary on the video that sounded like the voice of Gary Walsh.

The detective further alleged there was a voice recording of Gary Walsh having a conversation with a third party about supplying him with a gun and that gardai would allege Damien Walsh was present in the car at the time of the conversation and was aware of what it involved.

Defence solicitor, Joe Cuddigan said that his client, Damien Walsh would deny that he heard any such conversation taking place as he had fallen asleep. “My client says he was not a party to any discussion about the supply of firearms to anyone,” he said.

Mr Cuddigan put it to Det Garda McCarthy that the gun was concealed in a black plastic refuse sack so the gun wasn’t visible but the garda said that they believed both men were aware of the contents of the refuse sack which was within arms’ reach of both men.

Judge Monika Leech said that she was refusing bail to both accused on the grounds of the seriousness of the charges. She remanded both men in custody to appear again at the vacation sitting of Mallow District Court next Tuesday by video-link.

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Brothers charged at special court sitting over gun seizure close to Limerick-Cork border

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