Courts / Dublin / Report

Firearms accused pleads guilty just hours after seeking to have charges thrown out

Date
2020-07-13

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Edward McDonnell, aged 55, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a Grand Power G9 semi‑automatic pistol at Lein Park, Harmonstown, Dublin, on 14 September 2019. The plea came just hours after his defence counsel, Michael Bowman SC, had applied to the court for a not‑guilty verdict on both counts. McDonnell had originally pleaded not guilty to possession of the pistol with intent to endanger life. Evidence presented during the five‑day trial included a loaded handgun found under the passenger seat of an Audi, two baseball hats, two balaclavas, gloves, a red petrol can, and a long‑handled lighter. The prosecution argued that the circumstances collectively proved the charge. The court set a sentence hearing for 21 July 2024. A second defendant, Stephen Little, 46, also pleaded guilty to the same offence and will have his sentence hearing on the same date.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Firearms accused pleads guilty just hours after seeking to have charges thrown out. Charges or matters: being in unlawful possession of a semi-automatic pistol namely a Grand Power G9, and having the weapon with intent to endanger life at Lein Park, Harmonstown, Dublin 5 on September 14, 2019; unlawful possession of a Grand Power G9 semi-automatic pistol at Lein Park, Harmonstown, Dublin 5, on September 14, 2019; unlawful possession of a Grand Power G9 semi-automatic pistol at Lein Park, Harmonstown, Dublin 5, on the same occasion. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

September 14, 2019 Incident
September 14 Incident
July 21 Incident
2020-07-13 Publication

Case subjects

Edward McDonnell

Defendant

Charges: being in unlawful possession of a semi-automatic pistol namely a Grand Power G9, and having the weapon with intent to endanger life at Lein Park, Harmonstown, Dublin 5 on September 14, 2019; unlawful possession of a Grand Power G9 semi-automatic pistol at Lein Park, Harmonstown, Dublin 5, on September 14, 2019; unlawful possession of a Grand Power G9 semi-automatic pistol at Lein Park, Harmonstown, Dublin 5, on the same occasion (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Following this, Mr Justice Hunt fixed July 21 for McDonnell's sentence hearing.

Stephen Little

Defendant

Charges: unlawful possession of a Grand Power G9 semi-automatic pistol at Lein Park, Harmonstown, Dublin 5, on the same occasion (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: His sentence hearing will also take place on the same date.