Courts / Dublin / Report

Brother of Alan Ryan found not guilty of firearms possession by direction

Summary

The Special Criminal Court has found Vincent Ryan and Darragh Evans not guilty by direction of the court regarding the alleged possession of an AKM assault rifle and a Webley-make revolver MkV1. Both men, who had pleaded not guilty, were released from custody after the court ruled there was an insufficient evidential basis for a conviction. The charges related to an incident on September 15, 2011, at Clonshaugh Walk, Coolock, Dublin 17, following a firearm discharge in Clongriffin. While forensic evidence linked DNA profiles to the weapons, the court accepted defence arguments that the DNA could have been deposited via secondary or tertiary transfer and that the specific time and place of possession were not sufficiently proven. Justice Paul Butler directed the verdicts, noting that the evidence did not meet the threshold for a jury trial. In a separate finding, co-accused Alan Ryan was acquitted. The court commended the Garda investigation as thorough and professional, despite the outcome. The matter was concluded with the directed not guilty verdicts for Ryan and Evans and the acquittal of Alan Ryan.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Brother of Alan Ryan found not guilty of firearms possession by direction. Charges or matters: the possession of an AKM assault rifle and Webley-make revolver MkV1 at Clonshaugh Walk, Coolock, Dublin 17 on September 15th, 2011. Procedural stage: finding. Findings: Acquitted

When:

• September 2012 Incident
• September 15th, 2011 Incident
• 2013-10-24 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Finding Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report