Friends appear in court following firearms seizure in Co. Kildare

Three young men from County Wicklow have appeared before Naas District Court after they were charged in connection with the discovery of two firearms and a quantity of ammunition in a car.

Evan Fitzgerald, aged 21, a steel company worker, whose address was given as Portrushen, Kiltegan; Shane Kinsella, aged 20, a student, whose address was given as Tynock, Kiltegan and Daniel Quinn Burke, aged 19, an apprentice mechanic, whose address was given as Allendale Lawn, Baltinglass, face charges in connection with the discovery of a Heckler & Koch rifle, a Remington Rand semi automatic pistol and a total of 42 rounds of ammunition.

Detective Garda Gavin Curran said officers attached to the Garda National Organised Crime Bureau and the Emergency Response Unit performed a controlled stop of a vehicle at Ponsonby Bridge, near Straffan, Co. Kildare on Saturday morning.

He said he believed that the items found were not destined for use by organised criminals and he believed that the guns and bullets were to be used for shooting purposes in a wooded area.

The garda said that the value of the firearms was in the region of €2,700 and he alleged they were bought on the Darknet.

Referring to Evan Fitzgerald he said the defendant has a fascination with firearms and “it's more of an interest or a hobby” rather than for “nefarious purposes.”

The court was also told it will be alleged the weapons and ammunition were delivered by way of face to face delivery.

The garda added that the defendants are lifelong friends.

The arrests, the court heard, were part of an operation to combat firearms trafficking.

The court was also told that the gardaí would not ordinarily grant licences for firearms such as those which were seized.

Judge Desmond Zaidan commented that while the defendants appeared young and naive there is a risk that if word out out that they had these weapons, then other parties might stage a burglary to steal them

The three were granted bail subject to conditions including that an independent surety is provided; that they sign on daily at a garda station, have no contact with each other and surrender their passports.

The case was adjourned until June 6 as directions are to be sought from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.