This article is from page 4 of the 2006-01-10 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
A TOY gun bought in Glasgow by a Kilkishen man and brought back through customs in Shannon landed him on a firearms charge, after gardaí declared it an offensive weapon.
Bobby Gleeson, of 21 Hillcrest Grove pleaded guilty to an offence under the Firearms Act, at Tulla District Court.
Sergeant Francis O’Grady told Superintendent Tony Kenneally that he received a complaint after a ten-year old boy was struck by plastic pellets fired from the gun.
Sgt O’Grady said a young person told him that Gleeson pulled up in a car and fired the gun at him, as he stood in the street on April 18.
“The plastic ball bearing hit him just below the groin and when I saw him a couple of hours afterwards, his leg was still marked,” said Sgt O’Grady.
The sergeant said that Gleeson claimed he had not intended to hit the boy, but had aimed the gun at a stray dog. The gun was sent to the Garda HQ and after been examined, was declared illegal and an offensive weapon in the meaning of the Firearms Act.
“It was clearly written on the packaging that it should not be fired at people. It fires at quite a high velocity.”
Gleeson’s solicitor said his client had bought the gun on a trip to Glasgow and had brought it home in his luggage through customs at Shannon Airport. Gleeson wanted to apologise to the boy and his family, the solicitor said.
“The gun wouldn’t be illegal in Britain, but bring it across the Irish Sea and it is illegal – we accept that,” he added.
Judge Joseph Mangan asked “What did the dog do to incur his displeasure?”
The court heard that 28-year old Gleeson had a partner and a young child and was working as a block layer.
The boy had fully recovered, Judge Mangan was told. After hearing that Gleeson earned in the region of €600 a week, Judge Mangan fined him €1,000, with 90 days to pay the fine.