Courts / Dublin / Report

Handguns found in accused man's home, non-jury trial hears

Date
2016-04-18

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

In a Special Criminal Court hearing, Pierce Moran, 59, of Church Road, East Wall, Dublin 3, faced charges of unlawful possession of several semi‑automatic pistols, a silencer, a sawn‑off shotgun, firearm magazines and assorted ammunition, all allegedly found during a search of his home on 15 November 2014. Gardaí, acting under a search warrant, conducted the operation as part of an investigation into the importation of firearms and ammunition from the USA. Detective Sergeant John Kearney and Garda Jude Ainsworth reported finding four pistols, a silencer, magazines and ammunition in a Dunnes Stores bag in Moran's bedroom, while Garda Francis Crowley discovered a sawn‑off shotgun in a workshop room. The court accepted the admissibility of the search evidence, rejecting defence counsel's objections, and the trial continues with legal arguments.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Handguns found in accused man's home, non-jury trial hears. Charges or matters: the unlawful possession of various semi-automatic pistols, including an 8mm Knall calibre Valtro model AP29, a 9mm short calibre CZ model 83, a 9mm calibre Makarov PM and a 9mm short calibre Baikal model IZH79-8, as well as a silencer suitable for use with the Makarov pistol and a 12-gauge Beretta model A.300 semi-automatic, sawn-off shotgun at Church Road, East Wall, Dublin 3 on November 15th, 2014; the possession of assorted ammunition, also at the same address and on the same date. Procedural stage: trial

When:

November 15th, 2014 Incident
2016-04-18 Publication

Case subjects

Pierce Moran

Accused

Charges: the unlawful possession of various semi-automatic pistols, including an 8mm Knall calibre Valtro model AP29, a 9mm short calibre CZ model 83, a 9mm calibre Makarov PM and a 9mm short calibre Baikal model IZH79-8, as well as a silencer suitable for use with the Makarov pistol and a 12-gauge Beretta model A.300 semi-automatic, sawn-off shotgun at Church Road, East Wall, Dublin 3 on November 15th, 2014; the possession of assorted ammunition, also at the same address and on the same date (Alleged Or Contested)