Four men - including a Sinn Féin activist - who were arrested in Co Cork last year on their way to carry out a punishment beating have been jailed at the Special Criminal Court.
Sean Kind (42) of St Joseph's Terrace, Rockenham, Passage West, Co Cork and three co-accused were convicted of having three pistols and 18 rounds of ammunition without a firearms certificate and to having the pistols and ammunition for an unlawful purpose at Cahir Hill, Ballinwillin, Michelstown, Co Cork on January 29th last year.
Kind, described as a "dedicated republican" and anti-drugs campaigner, was jailed for six years for possession of firearms for an unlawful purpose.
The three co-accused are Walter Nagle (24) of Avoncore Estate, Middleton Co Cork, Michael Nugent (27) of Meadow Park Lawn, Ballyvolane, Cork and Keiran Kiely (26) of Mill Road, Youghal, Co Cork.
Mr Nagle was sentenced to five years; Mr Nugent to four years and Mr Kiely to four years.All four men were also sentenced to three years for possession of firearms without a certificate, the sentences to run concurrently.
The court heard that Walter Nagle has previous convictions for assault and road traffic offences. Michael Nugent and Keiran Keily have no previous convictions.
During questioning, one of the accused told gardaí they were on their way to carry out a punishment beating. Their were three loaded pistols, 18 rounds of ammunition, balaclavas, a baseball bat and iron bar in their car when they were arrested. All four were wearingboiler suits when they were arrested after their car was observed being driven erratically.
The court heard that Sean Kind was previously sentenced to seven years in 1980 for possession of firearms with intent to endanger life having been arrested at an IRA training camp in Kerry, at which shots were fired.
In evidence, Chief Superintendent Tim Callaghan, said Mr Kind was involved in COCAD, [Coalition of Communities Against Drugs] and was very active in Sinn Féin in the Carrigaline area of Cork.
The court also heard that during questioning at Mallow garda station about what the men intended to do, Keiran Kiely replied: "sort out some fella".It was further alleged that he replied "yeah" when asked if he could tell gardaí if it was a punishment beating.
The prosecution held that the accused were part of a joint enterprise and were jointly in control of the firearms and ammunition.
Sentencing the four, Mr Justice Richard Johnson, presiding, said that these were "extremely serious offences".