Courts / Dublin / Report

Innocent bystander blasted with shotgun

Date
2020-02-14

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

James Gallagher, aged 33, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm and recklessly discharging a firearm at Cullen's Yard, Greenhill Road, Walkinstown on 4 August 2018. He fired a single‑barrel shotgun at a man, John O'Connor, who was buying car parts at the scrapyard. O'Connor was not the intended target; he was struck by multiple pellet wounds, knocked to the ground, and later taken to Tallaght Hospital. Another man received minor injuries but did not require hospital treatment. The shotgun was never recovered. CCTV identified Gallagher, and a discarded tracksuit bottom linked to him was found. Gallagher has 42 prior convictions, including theft, criminal damage, drug possession for sale, and traffic offences. He has two children. The judge imposed a five‑year concurrent sentence, effective from 4 December 2018, after noting his efforts to overcome drug addiction.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Innocent bystander blasted with shotgun. Charges or matters: assault causing harm and recklessly discharging a firearm at Cullen's Yard, Greenhill Road, Walkinstown on August 4, 2018. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

August 4, 2018 Incident
December 4, 2018 Other
2020-02-14 Publication

Case subjects

James Gallagher

Accused

Charges: assault causing harm and recklessly discharging a firearm at Cullen's Yard, Greenhill Road, Walkinstown on August 4, 2018 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: She imposed a number of concurrent sentences, resulting in an operative sentence of five years. The sentence runs from December 4, 2018 when Gallagher went into custody.