Two people have been released on 'strict' bail after appearing in court over a firearms seizure

Two people have been released on ‘strict’ bail after appearing in court over a firearms seizure

A MAN AND woman charged over a seizure of three firearms and ammunition in Dublin have been released on “strict” bail.

Blanchardstown gardaí stopped a car on the Old Navan Road in Dublin 15 on Friday and recovered a pistol and ammunition.

Apprentice carpenter Jamie Moss, 21, from Ballyfermot and Sarah Jane Byrne, 35, who lives in Drimnagh, Dublin, were detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.

During further searches over the weekend, gardaí uncovered a submachine gun, a sawn-off shotgun, and more ammunition.

The pair were charged under the Firearms Act and appeared before Judge David McHugh at Blanchardstown District Court today.

Both are accused of possession of a 9mm Makarov semi-automatic pistol and a Sellier and Bellot round of ammunition for unlawful purposes at Old Navan Road.

Byrne, alone, has three additional charges for having a 7.62 x 25mm Tokarev calibre PPS-43 submachine gun, a 12 gauge over and under configuration sawn-off Beretta shotgun, and 27 rounds of 9mm Luger CBC machinegun ammunition under her control at her home.

Judge McHugh ordered the media not to report their addresses due to security concerns.

He held they were entitled to bail and released them subject to “strict conditions”, pending directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions. The date for their next hearing was not announced publicly in court but was provided to the defence lawyers and gardai involved.

Detective Garda Sean Kelly said Moss made “no reply” when charged.

Objecting to bail, he cited the seriousness of the case and alleged that there was CCTV evidence of a “handover” of a firearm from an unknown person at a car park in Mulhuddart.

Moss was driving his Ford Focus, which was stopped and searched at Old Navan Road.

Detective Garda Ferris said the Makarov pistol was in “cling-film, in a plastic back, wrapped in a scarf” in the car.

Detective Garda Mark Ferris said that Byrne, who is unemployed, also had no reply to her charges. He voiced similar objections to her bail.

He said her case had extra charges due to a follow-up search.

Detective Garda Ferris alleged that a sawn-off shotgun, submachine gun and ammunition were “hidden under the stairs in her house”.

The court heard claims that she “admitted taking took possession of them, stripping them down, cleaning them and rewrapping them”.

She had no prior convictions.

Judge McHugh noted that in each case, gardai did not contend they were flight risks or would engage in witness intimidation.

He said they faced serious charges but had the presumption of innocence, and he would grant bail with strict conditions.

Byrne’s bail was set at €100 and Moss’s was €400.

Judge McHugh ordered them to surrender their passports and not to apply for replacement travel documents and told them they must stay out of the Dublin 15 area except for court appearances.

Solicitor Terence Hanahoe for Mr Moss and Ciaran MacLoughlin BL, representing Bryne, indicated their clients consented to the terms.

Furthermore, they must sign on daily at garda stations and provide gardaí with a phone number to contact them at all times.

Legal aid was granted.

All three seized firearms and ammunition are to be subject to analysis by the Ballistics Section of the Garda National Technical Bureau.