National court archive · 2026-03-16
'Ireland's top criminals, LOL': dual citizen gun runner gets 10 years
At a glance
- Crime
- importation of firearms and ammunition and explosives
- People
- Conor O’Brien, Karen O’Connor, Mark McCourt, Shane McCartan, Simon Matthews BL
- Locations
- Kilpatrick, Ardee, Co Louth, John Street, Blackstick, Nevada, Derry, Armagh, Dublin, Limerick
- Court
- Special Criminal Court
- Outcome
- she reduced the sentence to 11 years with the final 12 months suspended for one year
Summary
Conor O'Brien has been jailed for 11 years, with the final year suspended, after admitting he helped a criminal organisation import firearms, ammunition and explosives and possessed weapons components in suspicious circumstances. The Special Criminal Court heard that he used US citizenship to buy military-grade weapons in America for distribution to gangs in Ireland. The court ordered the firearms and ammunition forfeited and destroyed, while cash forfeiture submissions remain outstanding.
Original reporting: courtsnewsireland.ie