Courts / Louth / Report
Guilty plea at first hearing for second Special Criminal Court
Summary
Joseph Finnegan, 54, of Cullenstown, Readypenny, Dundalk, County Louth, pleaded guilty to four firearms and ammunition possession charges at Special Criminal Court Number 2. The court, presided over by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy with Judges Sinead Ni Chuluchain and Gerard Haughton, recorded his guilty pleas to possessing an 8mm blank-firing pistol and seven rounds of ammunition on July 11, 2015, and a 12 gauge double barrel shotgun and three shotgun cartridges on July 12, 2015, all at the same address. Mr Finnegan also faces two further charges: alleged membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the IRA, and possession of two stolen cars, a Ford Focus and an Audi A4, on July 11, 2015. These remaining charges are set for trial on October 4, 2015. The court remanded Mr Finnegan on continuing bail until that date. Sentencing for the admitted firearms offences will be deferred until after the trial for the other charges concludes. This was the first hearing at Special Criminal Court Number 2 since its establishment last year.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Guilty plea at first hearing for second Special Criminal Court. Charges or matters: possession of an 8mm calibre blank-firing pistol at the same address on July 11th, 2015; possession of seven rounds of ammunition at the same place on the same date; two further possession charges, one involving a 12 gauge double barrel shotgun and the other three rounds of shotgun cartridges, both at the same address and on July 12th, 2015. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial
When:
- July 11th, 2015 Incident
- July 12th, 2015 Incident
- October 4th Adjournment
- 2016-06-16 Publication
Case subjects
Accused
Charges: possession of an 8mm calibre blank-firing pistol at the same address on July 11th, 2015; possession of seven rounds of ammunition at the same place on the same date; two further possession charges, one involving a 12 gauge double barrel shotgun and the other three rounds of shotgun cartridges, both at the same address and on July 12th, 2015 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, presiding with Judge Sinead Ni Chuluchain and Judge Gerard Haughton, remanded Mr Finnegan on continuing bail until October 4th, this year, when his trial will begin.
Defendant
Charges: possession of an 8mm calibre blank-firing pistol at the same address on July 11th, 2015; possession of seven rounds of ammunition at the same place on the same date; two further possession charges, one involving a 12 gauge double barrel shotgun and the other three rounds of shotgun cartridges, both at the same address and on July 12th, 2015 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, presiding with Judge Sinead Ni Chuluchain and Judge Gerard Haughton, remanded Mr Finnegan on continuing bail until October 4th, this year, when his trial will begin.
Places mentioned
Topics
Stage Charge Or Pretrial Theft
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