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Drug debtor 'leaned on' to store silenced handgun
Summary
Brian Keane, 41, pleaded guilty on 3 February 2024 to possession of a Makarov 9mm semi‑automatic pistol in suspicious circumstances, an offence that carries a maximum sentence of 14 years. A search of his Finglas home uncovered the pistol, 13 rounds of Makarov calibre Seller and Bellot ammunition and a silencer. Keane told Gardaí that he had a €5,000 drug debt and was asked to hold a package, unaware it contained a firearm. Defence counsel Mark Lynam argued Keane was not the end user but a person who could be leaned upon to store the weapon, citing his vulnerabilities and a turbulent situation. The court accepted that Keane was holding the weapon under duress and that he had a good work history with only minor prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan set a headline sentence of six to seven years but, after considering mitigating factors, imposed a three‑year sentence.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Drug debtor 'leaned on' to store silenced handgun. Charges or matters: possession of a Makarov 9mm semi-automatic pistol in suspicious circumstances on February 3, 2024. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- February 3, 2024 Incident
- 2025-02-14 Publication
Why: Mr Lynam submitted to the court that his client was picked to hold these items because of his vulnerabilities and as he was in a "place of a lot of turmoil" at the time. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: possession of a Makarov 9mm semi-automatic pistol in suspicious circumstances on February 3, 2024 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Today he handed Keane a sentence of three years.; After hearing the facts of the case yesterday, Judge Martin Nolan adjourned the case overnight to consider the sentence.
Places mentioned
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