Stokencar chargestruck out

A 51-year-old man accused of possessing a stolen car has had the charge dismissed.

Kenneth Bromley had denied the offence which was alleged to have occurred at his home address, ‘ Allwinds’, Dublin Road, Dundalk, on 11 July, 2016.

He pleaded guilty to a second charge of having a firearm without a firearms’ certificate at ‘Allwinds’ on the same occasion.

The defendant, an unemployed steel fixer, has no previous convictions.

His solicitor, Frank McDonnell, said he bought a starter’s pistol at a market 15 years ago. It fires two pellets.

The property has been confiscated. In applying the probation act, Judge Coughlan made an order for the destruction of the pistol.

Regarding the other matter, Róisín Pettigrew gave evidence that she owned a Volkswagen Jetta, and was in a relationship with Kenneth Bromley’s son at the time.

On 28 June, 2016, she went to bed at 11.30pm, and the following morning awoke to discover the house had been broken into and her car stolen.

Her boyfriend subsequently told her the car had been found in his father’s house.

He didn’t say how the vehicle got there, and she terminated the relationship.

Ms Pettigrew believed her then-partner told her a lie that the car was stolen.

Garda Ashley McEvoy said he searched Kenneth Bromley’s property on 11 July. He found the Jetta and the starting pistol in question.

The defendant told gardaí his son left the car in a shed there. He was ‘kind of’ suspicious but did not suspect the car was stolen.

Inspector Martin Beggy said Mr Bromley’s son gave a ‘ no comment’ interview and was not before the court.

Kenneth Bromley testified the Jetta was the property of his son’s then-partner and driven by both.

Judge Coughlan said he had a doubt and dismissed the charge.