Courts / Clare / Report
7.5 years over machinegun haul after high speed chase
Summary
Keith O'Reilly, aged 28, was convicted in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possession of four handguns, a submachine gun and ammunition, endangerment, and four counts of dangerous driving. The trial followed a high‑speed Garda pursuit that ended when his car hit a curb and spun near a bus stop. O'Reilly escaped, retrieved a bag containing the weapons and ammunition, and was later arrested. The firearms were found to be in working order, with the machine gun loaded and ready, and three handguns, including a Glock, also loaded. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced him to eight and a half years for possession, suspending the final 12 months on strict conditions, and to four years for endangerment and three months for each dangerous driving count, all concurrent. The sentence reflected the multiple loaded firearms, the significant ammunition, and the risk posed to the public during the incident.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 7.5 years over machinegun haul after high speed chase. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Convicted
When:
- April 3, 2018 Incident
- 2019-05-09 Publication
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced him to eight and a half years imprisonment for possession of the firearms and ammunition, but suspended the final 12 months of the sentence on strict conditions. Judge O'Connor also sentenced him to four years imprisonment for the count of endangerment and three months imprisonment for each count of dangerous driving, all of which will run concurrently with the other sentence.
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