Man (75) who had vintage guns for over 20 years did not have a valid firearms licence
A senior citizen who had a shotgun and a rifle in his home without a valid firearms licence has claimed that they were collector’s items and had never been shot.
Joseph Norton (75) had one of the weapons, a .22 rifle, for nearly 60 years, while the second, a 12-gauge shotgun, had been in his possession for over 20 years.
Norton mistakenly thought that he had a valid firearms licence, his lawyer said.
Judge Shalom Binchy convicted and fined Norton €500.
The defendant admitted having a shotgun and a rifle in his possession without a valid firearms licence.
Sergeant Darren Farrelly told Balbriggan District Court that gardaí searched Norton’s home at Rathbeale Road in Swords on March 14, 2022, and recovered two firearms, a Remington .22 rifle and a 12-gauge Remington shotgun.
Sgt Farrelly said Norton believed he had a valid firearms licence, but the 12-gauge shotgun had been altered to hold more cartridges and the licence was not valid for the weapon.
The firearms were not, and had never been, used for shooting
The court heard the defendant had no previous convictions.
Norton’s defence lawyer said his client was retired and had previously owned a car-dismantling business.
Both firearms were collector’s items, the lawyer said, and were not, and had never been, used for shooting.
Norton had believed he had a valid firearms licence, but now accepted he had not.
The lawyer said that the 12-gauge shotgun had not been altered by Norton, and had been found by him in the boot of a car at his breakage yard. He had taken it home, and he’d had it in his possession for over 20 years.
The rifle had been in Norton’s possession for nearly 60 years, since he was 16 years old, the court heard.
Norton’s lawyer said his client had not been trying to hide the weapons. The lawyer asked the judge to be as lenient as possible, saying Norton was very sorry for his behaviour.
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