Specialcourt appearance

A Louth man has pleaded guilty to four charges of possessing firearms and ammunition, the Special Criminal Court has heard.

Joseph Finnegan (54) appeared last week before Special Criminal Court Number 2. Finnegan, of Cullenstown, Readypenny, pleaded guilty to possession of an 8mm calibre blank-firing pistol at the same address on July 11 2015.

He also pleaded guilty to possession of seven rounds of ammunition and to two further possession charges, one involving a 12 gauge double barrel shotgun and the other three rounds of shotgun cartridges, both at the same address and on July 12.

The accused man is also charged with two further alleged offences, for which he will be tried in October this year.

One charge alleges that he was a member of an unlawful organisation, styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA on July 11 2015.

He is also charged with possession of two stolen cars, a Ford Focus and an Audi A4, on the same date, at Cullenstown.

Finnegan was remanded on continuing bail until October 4 when his trial will begin.

The judge stated that the matter of sentencing Finnegan for the firearms and ammunition offences, to which he pleaded guilty, will be dealt with after the trial for the other charges concludes.