Convicted murderer and gambling addict jailed for roles in moving machine gun

Two men have been convicted and sentenced at the Special Criminal Court for their involvement in transferring a submachine gun during a serious criminal operation in 2020. Robert Redmond, aged 35, received a six-year custodial sentence, while Jamie Gray, aged 27, was sentenced to five years and three months, with the final year suspended for three years. Both men entered guilty pleas to firearms offences under the Firearms Act 1964 relating to an unlawfully held RAK PM-63 submachine gun. The weapon was recovered from a vehicle on the M11 at Shankill, Dublin on 7 May 2020 following a garda operation. The court established that the firearm had been deliberately reactivated following prior deactivation and bore no serial number, indicating deliberate efforts to conceal its identity. Justice Paul Burns heard evidence that Redmond and co-accused Bernard Fogarty transferred the weapon to a driver in the Clondalkin area. Gray coordinated aspects of the operation remotely, communicating via text messages from Bray while others met to arrange the transfer. The court found that both defendants sourced and moved the firearm on behalf of others without any intention to use it themselves. Redmond carries an extensive criminal history spanning 97 previous convictions, including a life sentence imposed for murder. Gray's record comprises 91 prior convictions, predominantly for road traffic matters. During sentencing, the court heard that Gray's circumstances had been significantly affected by long-standing gambling addiction, which had left him indebted. His legal team highlighted recent employment as a mitigating factor. The case formed part of the Special Criminal Court's ongoing oversight of organised crime operations involving the illicit movement and possession of firearms. The sentencing reflects the court's approach to serious firearms offences committed in furtherance of criminal enterprises, balancing the culpability of individual defendants against their respective roles within the broader criminal operation.