Vulnerable man allowed guns to be stored in ‘Henry hoover’

A man who allowed two handguns to be hidden inside a Henry vacuum cleaner in his van at the height of Dublin gangland activity has been given a suspended four year sentence.

Stephen O’Connor (45) was approached by a criminal figure while he was “incredibly vulnerable” and agreed to hold onto the firearms in order to “get them off his back”, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard.

O’Connor, of Carndonagh Lawns, Donaghmede, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of firearms at his address on September 7th, 2019.

The offence carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years. O’Connor has no previous convictions.

Det Garda Jonathan Griffin told Garrett McCormack BL, prosecuting, that a search warrant was obtained for O’Connor’s home.

Nothing was found inside the house, although a set of keys for a van parked behind it were seized from O’Connor.

Det Garda Griffin said a second search warrant was obtained for the van and gardaí­ discovered a Henry Hoover in which two semi-automatic pistols and 15 rounds of ammunition were found. The guns were in working order and ready to use.

Issues

Det Garda Griffin agreed with Fiona Murphy SC, defending, that her client seems to have serious mental health issues. He agreed that no DNA was found on the guns.

Ms Murphy said two of her client’s brothers died by suicide when he was in his late teens. She said O’Connor had twice attempted suicide in the months leading up to him agreeing to hold the guns.

Counsel said her client was “incredibly vulnerable” when he was repeatedly approached by the acquaintance and he agreed to hold the guns in order to “get them off his back”. She said her client did not know what the items were.

Sentencing O’Connor on Monday, Judge Elma Sheahan noted that the guns were found “at a time of significant gangland activity in Dublin city”.

The judge noted that the “criminal figure” involved was aware of O’Connor’s vulnerabilities and accepted that O’Connor was “used and taken advantage of by this acquaintance or so-called friend”.

She handed down a four year sentence but suspended it for four years on a number of strict conditions including and ordered O’Connor to cut all ties with people with criminal conditions.