Courts / Kildare / Report

Brother of drugs and firearms accused was caught with weapons

Date
2019-03-13

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Sallins

County
Kildare

Summary

The Special Criminal Court has heard that Michael Brady, 54, is the brother of Declan Brady, who was previously caught with 15 firearms and over 4,000 rounds of ammunition. Michael Brady, of Blackrock, Co Dublin, is currently on trial for allegedly possessing €1.5 million worth of cocaine, €1.26 million worth of heroin, an assault rifle, and more than 180 rounds of ammunition at a property in Sallins, Co Kildare, on January 24, 2017. He has pleaded not guilty to all nine counts on the indictment, including charges under Section 15A of the Misuse of Drugs Act and unlawful possession of a 7.62 x 39mm VZ 58 assault rifle and various ammunition. Prosecutors stated the Sallins property was under surveillance as part of a wider operation targeting Greenogue Business Park, where Declan Brady, Jonathan Harding, and James Walsh were arrested earlier that morning. Declan Brady pleaded guilty to possessing the firearms and ammunition at Greenogue and is awaiting sentence. Harding and Walsh were sentenced in January to ten and nine years' imprisonment, respectively, for possessing a "lethal arsenal." The trial has entered legal argument regarding the lawfulness of Michael Brady's arrest in Naas, where he allegedly provided a false name. The court is expected to rule on these issues on Friday before resuming the case.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Brother of drugs and firearms accused was caught with weapons. Charges or matters: possessing €1.5 million worth of cocaine, €1.26 million worth of heroin, an assault rife and more than 180 rounds of ammunition at a property at Sallins Bridge, in Sallins, Co Kildare on January 24, 2017; all nine counts on the indictment; possessing 15 firearms and more than 4,000 rounds of ammunition at Greenogue Business Park on the day in question; possessing cocaine and heroin for sale or supply under Section 15A of the Misuse of Drugs Act as well as a number of other drugs offences; possession of a 7.62 x 39mm calibre VZ 58 assault rifle in such circumstances as to give rise to a reasonable inference that he did not have it for a lawful purpose; possession of three ammunition magazines, a single round of .45" ACP calibre ammunition, 65 rounds of 9x19mm calibre ammo, 76 rounds of .45" A

When:

January 24, 2017 Incident
2019-03-13 Publication

Case subjects

Declan Brady

Convicted Person

Charges: possessing 15 firearms and more than 4,000 rounds of ammunition at Greenogue Business Park on the day in question; possessing cocaine and heroin for sale or supply under Section 15A of the Misuse of Drugs Act as well as a number of other drugs offences; possession of a 7.62 x 39mm calibre VZ 58 assault rifle in such circumstances as to give rise to a reasonable inference that he did not have it for a lawful purpose; possession of three ammunition magazines, a single round of .45" ACP calibre ammunition, 65 rounds of 9x19mm calibre ammo, 76 rounds of .45" ACP calibre ammo, 40 rounds of .38" special calibre ammo, a single round of 9.19mm calibre Remington make ammo and a single round of 9x19mm calibre C.S.C make ammo, in such circumstances to give rise to a reasonable inference that he did not have them in your possession for a lawful purpose (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: In January, Harding and Walsh were sentenced to ten years and nine years imprisonment for what the Special Criminal Court called a "lethal arsenal" of weapons including four loaded guns and over a thousand rounds of ammunition Fiona Murphy SC, for the DPP, told the three-judge court that Mr Brady was seen exiting the premises at Sallins Bridge in a grey Volkswagen Golf at around 2pm on the day in question.

Michael Brady

Accused

Charges: possessing €1.5 million worth of cocaine, €1.26 million worth of heroin, an assault rife and more than 180 rounds of ammunition at a property at Sallins Bridge, in Sallins, Co Kildare on January 24, 2017; all nine counts on the indictment (Alleged Or Contested)

Plea: Not guilty