A Dublin man who was jailed for three years yesterday by the Special Criminal Court for having a loaded gun at his home was one of 10 men arrested after gardai raided an underground bunker between Naul and Stamullen on the Dublin-Meath border on Wednesday night.
Alan Ryan (19), unemployed, of Grange Abbey Drive, Donaghmede, Dublin, who had been on bail, was found guilty of the unlawful possession of a revolver and five rounds of ammunition at his home on September 21st, 1998.
The court heard evidence during the three-day trial that a party of Special Branch detectives raided Ryan's home around 7 a.m. Det Garda Daniel Prenty and Det Garda Sean Tinkler told the court they saw Ryan throwing a black object from an upstairs window. When it was recovered from a neighbouring garden it was found to be a black glove with a loaded revolver inside.
Ryan said he had been in the bathroom when gardai raided his home and denied he had thrown the gun from the bedroom window. Ryan's brothers, Anthony and Dermot, also gave evidence that he had not been in the bedroom when the gardai arrived.
Insp Tony Fennessy, Special Detective Unit, said Ryan had no previous convictions.
Yesterday, Mr Justice O'Higgins, presiding, said Ryan had been found guilty of very serious offences. He said the court had taken into account his age and the fact that he had no previous convictions and sentenced him to three years' imprisonment.