Courts / Dublin / Report

Convicted sex offender fails in appeal over having gun in suspicious circumstances

Date
2022-06-30

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Balbriggan

County
Dublin

Summary

Edward McDonnell, a convicted sex offender aged 57, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court for unlawful possession of a Grand Power G9 semi‑automatic pistol. The pistol was found in a car driven by Stephen Little, 48, who was also charged with possession of the weapon in suspicious circumstances. Little was sentenced to six years. McDonnell's appeal to the Court of Appeal was dismissed. The appeal argued that the disparity between McDonnell's nine‑year sentence and Little's six‑year sentence was an error, citing differences in plea timing, previous convictions and alleged involvement in a revenge plot for the murder of Sean Little, 22, who was shot dead in May 2019. The Court of Appeal, with Mr Justice McCarthy presiding, found no basis for the disparity and upheld the nine‑year sentence. Stephen Little pleaded guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Convicted sex offender fails in appeal over having gun in suspicious circumstances. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

August 2020 Incident
September 14, 2019 Incident
May 21, 2019 Incident
2022-06-30 Publication

Case subjects

Stephen Little

Convicted Person

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Stephen Little (48) of Kilbarron Avenue, Kilmore, Dublin 5, was sentenced to six years' imprisonment for the same offence. However, the two were jailed for possession of a firearm in suspicious circumstances, an offence under Section 27A (1) of the Firearms Act, after guilty pleas were entered.