Courts / Louth / Report

Jail for man who claimed DNA was on gun because he handled it at party

Date
2023-02-27

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Drogheda

County
Louth

Summary

Colin Kevitt, 29, of Moneymore, Drogheda, was sentenced in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possession of a 9mm Glock semi‑automatic pistol found at a home in Drogheda on 8 February 2020. The gun, wrapped in black plastic beneath a flower pot, was discovered by a homeowner who called the gardaí. Forensic testing showed the pistol was in fair condition and contained five loaded bullets and additional ammunition. Kevitt's DNA matched samples taken from the gun, though he denied any admission. His defence argued that a friend had taken the gun to a party and that Kevitt had handled it there, but the court found this explanation unconvincing. The judge noted Kevitt's prior minor convictions and described the offence as a marked escalation. He pleaded guilty, and the judge imposed a headline sentence of six years, reduced to four years and eight months, with a one‑year suspension on conditions including engagement with addiction services.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Jail for man who claimed DNA was on gun because he handled it at party. Charges or matters: possession of the 9mm Glock semi-automatic pistol at another home in the town on February 8, 2020. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

February 8, 2020 Incident
2017 and 2018 Incident
2023-02-27 Publication

Why: A man who claimed his DNA was on a loaded semi-automatic pistol because he had earlier handled it at a party has been jailed for possession of the weapon. CNI source report