Jail for Louth gravedigger who was storing gun in granny flat

By Francis Carroll, The Drogheda Independent

A gravedigger who was storing a semi-automatic pistol over a drugs debt has been jailed for two years and 9 months.

Eddie Thornton (36), The Drive, Highlands, Drogheda, pointed gardaí to where the weapon was when they searched his bedroom in a granny flat. Officers also found a crossbow, smoke bomb, cannister of pepper spray and drugs.

When he appeared before Dundalk Circuit Court the defendant pleaded guilty to possession of a semi-automatic pistol, two counts of possession of a firearm without a licence relating to the incapacitating spray and crossbow and possession of cocaine for sale or supply at The Drive, Highlands, on February 7, 2020.

Other charges were taken into consideration.

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Gda Paul Martin gave evidence that a search warrant was obtained for the family home. Mr Thornton was asleep in a granny flat beside the house.

When he awoke he told gardaí, ‘It’s over there’, indicating a black holdall.

A semi-automatic handgun and a single bullet were separately in a gun case, wrapped in a knotted plastic bag.

The weapon was originally designed to fire blanks. It had been converted to fire .38 ammunition.

Also seized were a crossbow and 12 crossbow bolts, a smoke grenade, can of OC (pepper) spray and mobile phones.

Gardaí, acting under confidential information, also found 8.9g of cocaine valued €623.07, 15.7g of cannabis worth €318.46, a tick list and weighing scale in the kitchen of the main house.

During six interviews, Mr Thornton accepted possession of all the items. He said he owed €6,000 or €7,000 to a drug dealer and agreed to hold the bag. He never saw the gun or bullet before.

He purchased the other items in Jonesborough Market, Co. Armagh with no particular reason in mind.

Gda Martin continued that the defendant was addicted to cocaine and cannabis. He denied dealing.

His sister’s house had burned down during the Drogheda drugs’ feud.

He said that he knew the bag was ‘dodgy’. He hadn’t looked inside.

The separated father of two daughters was a gravedigger, and he worked with his father in the family business.

Judge Dara Hayes said a probation report noted that Eddie Thornton had a difficult childhood.

He started taking drugs at age 15 and had used “every drug” other than heroin. Cocaine was his drug of choice.

He hadn’t taken cocaine in five years and cannabis for the last two. He wasn’t drinking.

The defendant had a good relationship with his daughters whom he saw regularly. He had a good work history. There were no indications of wealth.

The accused was assessed at medium risk of reoffending.

Judge Hayes said that the conversion of a gun represented serious criminality. It took no little expertise. There was no evidence that the conversion was by Mr Thornton.

Even the possession of one bullet was one too many.

It was accepted by the State that the other items found were less sinister.

The defendant had taken positive steps since 2020 and had disassociated himself from negative influences.

Concurrent sentences of five years, nine months; 1 year, 9 months; 1 year, 9 months and 2 years and 9 months were imposed for possession of a semi-automatic pistol, two counts of possession of a firearm without a licence and possession of cocaine for sale or supply, respectively.

The final three years on count 1 were conditionally suspended for three years.