Cork Man Charged Over Firearms Said to Be Stored to Reduce €6,500 Gambling Debt

^{Cork Courthouse on Anglesea Street. A court heard the case on Friday 6 November. (Photo: Xx78900 / Wikimedia Commons)}

A 54-year-old Cork man has been charged with four firearms offences and granted bail after a court heard he had stored guns to reduce a €6,500 gambling debt. The case was heard on Friday 6 November, a day after gardaí searched a premises in the city.

The man has not been convicted of any offence, and his name and address were the subject of reporting restrictions. The details below come from evidence given in court.

The Charges

The accused is charged with possession of an improvised slam-bang shotgun, possession of 12-gauge shotgun cartridges, possession of a semi-automatic pistol, and possession of ammunition. The charges arise from a search carried out on 5 November.

Detective Garda Jeremy Murphy of the Cork City Divisional Drugs Squad gave evidence of the arrest, charge and caution. The man made no reply when charged. The detective said both weapons had been examined by Garda ballistics experts and deemed to be firearms under the relevant legislation, and that the handgun had a round in the firing mechanism and three in the magazine.

The Gambling Debt

Defence barrister Elaine Audley told the court her client accepted he owed a gambling debt of €6,500. He had agreed to store the guns for two days, in return for which €150 would be taken off the debt, she said. He kept them for much longer because he owed so much.

Gardaí objected to bail, citing the seriousness of the charges. Detective Garda Murphy told the court he held "grave concerns" about further offending if bail was granted, and said the man had indicated that he was under such pressure over the debt that he would have stored "a nuclear bomb".

The court heard the accused said he was under such serious pressure over his gambling debt that if he had been given a nuclear bomb, he would have taken it.

Bail Conditions

Judge David Waters acknowledged the seriousness of the matter but granted bail on conditions. The man must live at a named address, tell gardaí of any change, observe a curfew from 10pm to 8am, sign on daily at Bridewell Garda Station, and provide gardaí with a mobile phone on which he can be reached at all times. He was remanded on bail until 4 December.

The Regulatory Context

The case is a criminal matter rather than a gambling-regulation one, and nothing in the evidence points to a licensed operator. It does, though, put the spotlight on the debts that can build up around gambling, a theme in the debate over Ireland's new gambling laws. The long-running gambling regulation bill cleared a key incentives amendment on its way to becoming law, and a senator involved in the process had earlier offered more clarity on the bill.

Operators followed the new framework closely during its passage, and one bookmaker chief voiced concerns about the regulation bill.

The case returns to court on 4 December. Gardaí have not said whether further charges are expected.