Courts / Tipperary / Report

Man who pleaded guilty to firearms theft appeals conviction

Summary

Alan Freeman, aged 34, pleaded guilty to theft in a 2009 robbery of over 40 firearms at Carrick on Suir, Tipperary. He was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment by Judge Gerrard Griffin on 1 April 2014. In a Court of Appeal hearing on 20 April 2015, Freeman's counsel, Dominic McGinn SC, applied to appeal the conviction on the single ground that the prosecution bore the burden of proving Freeman was not induced into pleading guilty. McGinn argued that Freeman had extensive contact with a senior investigating Garda, a detective superintendent, up to the evening before the plea, including phone calls and face‑to‑face meetings, and that this contact was not disclosed to Freeman's legal team. He claimed Freeman effectively told his counsel he would plead guilty regardless of advice. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel, Patrick McCarthy SC, countered that Freeman's plea was freely made and that no illegal conduct had occurred.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Man who pleaded guilty to firearms theft appeals conviction. Charges or matters: theft over his role in a robbery at Carrick on Suir, Tipperary in January 2009. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

• January 2009 Hearing Or Sentence
• Tuesday April 1 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2015-04-20 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Appeal Theft

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Read the original CNI report