Gun certificate granted on appeal
A FIREARMS certificate revoked by Garda Superintendent Jim Doyle was renewed after the matter was reviewed by Judge Gerard Haughton.
William Whitty (40) of 34 St David’s Well in Bridgetown appealed the superintendent’s decision to take away his right to hold the gun which was made in July.
The weapon came to the attention of the gardaí when it was produced – though not discharged – during the course of a dispute.
The District Court was told that Whitty had no hand, act or part in this dispute.
It turned out that he had allowed Willie Power, the father of his partner, to hold the firearm overnight in breach of the regulations.
William Whitty was sworn in to assure the court that he had a safe in which the gun was normally stored.
He told how he had been a member of the Tomhaggard and Newbawn gun clubs.
On the day in question he was shooting birds on the land belonging to a son of Willie Power.
When he was finished, Power suggested that the gun could be left with him as Whitty intended to resume shooting pigeons and crows the next day om the same area.
This was what happened and the court was assured that no ammunition was involved.
‘I should not have done it,’ declared the applicant in the witness box. ‘I will never let it out of my sight.’
The judge accepted that an innocent mistake had been made and allowed the appeal, with effect from January 1.