Limerick shooting victim to be sentenced for ‘moving’ improvised gun and ammunition

A LIMERICK man who was seriously injured when he was shot over a decade ago has admitted transporting an improvised firearm and ammunition across the city.​

Daniel Philips, 31, who has an address at Crecora Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston has pleaded guilty to possession of the gun and 88 rounds of ammunition on March 26, 2020.

They were located at Shelbourne Park, Ennis Road after gardai retrieved a package which was thrown from a car during a high speed pursuit.

During a sentencing hearing, Garda Michael Moloney said a Volkswagen Passat being driven by Mr Philips was first encountered in the Ballynanty area of the city at around midnight and it was eventually stopped in the Parteen area.

He told John O’Sullivan BL that members of the Armed Support Unit were deployed during the pursuit and that after the Passat was stopped, gardai became aware that a package had been thrown from the car.

Mr O’Sullivan said a resident at Shelbourne Park contacted gardai after they observed an item being thrown onto the footpath outside their home.

He said ballistics experts confirmed the .22 callibre firearm was capable of being used. “It was improvised but effective.”

Garda Moloney said the defendant denied any knowledge of the firearm when questioned and insisted he had driven off as he was not insured. “He denied throwing anything,” he said.

Mr O’Sullivan said there was a “feud between two families” on the northside of the city at the time and that Mr Philips was “alligned with one particular group”.

However, he said there was no evidence that he intended using the firearm and he confirmed the DPP regards the offence as being within the “mid-range” of the scale.

Barrister Antoinette Simon submitted her client was “moving” the package to repay a drug debt and that he didn’t know it contained a gun and ammunition.

She said Mr Philips still experiences some short-term memory issues arising from him being shot twice in 2010 and that he has no trappings of wealth.

Judge Tom O’Donnell will impose sentence later this week.