Farmer guilty on arms charges

An elderly farmer pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin yesterday to having a rifle, rifle magazines and ammunition…

An elderly farmer pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin yesterday to having a rifle, rifle magazines and ammunition on his Co Laois farm last year. Patrick Nolan (65), a widower, of Raheenahoran, The Heath, Portlaoise, admitted having a Kalashnikov rifle, 57 AKM assault rifle magazines and 60 rounds of ammunition on January 12th last year.

Det Sgt Thomas Crehan said Nolan was a widower who looked after his brother in law, who was mildly retarded. Nolan had no passport, no telephone and no means of transport. There was no objection to bail.

The court remanded Nolan on bail until February 27th