Sean Ruth pleads not guilty to firearms charges

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Sean Ruth pleaded not guilty to two charges at the Special Criminal Court. The proceedings were reported on 21 January 2019.

He was charged with unlawful possession of a .38 Special Calibre Rossi revolver at an unknown place in the State between 1 January 2016 and 24 January 2017, and unlawful possession of a 9mm round of ammunition on the same occasion.

In his opening address, prosecuting counsel Paul Burns SC said gardaí searched a premises at Greenogue Business Park in Rathcoole, Co Dublin, on 24 January 2017. He said the court would hear that a Rossi revolver was found in a blood-stained plastic bag and that a 9mm round was found in a glove inside a second blood-stained bag. The round was not suitable for the revolver.

Burns said evidence would be heard that Ruth’s DNA profile matched DNA from the revolver and the bag containing it, as well as the glove in the second bag. He also said DNA from the glove matched blood-staining inside a Ford Focus and the accused. The court would hear that the car had a concealed compartment containing ammunition.

The report said Jonathan Harding and James Walsh had previously pleaded guilty to possession of firearms and ammunition magazines at the unit on 24 January 2017. In January 2018, Harding received ten years in prison with one year suspended; Walsh received nine years with one year suspended.

The trial was due to resume before presiding judge Mr Justice Paul Coffey, sitting with Judge Gerard Griffin and Judge David McHugh.