Man (20) allegedly wore bulletproof vest with loaded gun inside when gardaí stopped him
Craig McKeever (20) is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm.
Gun seized by gardai in Dublin last night. Photo: An Garda Síochána Facebook
A young man was wearing a bullet proof vest with a loaded handgun hidden inside when gardai stopped and searched him on a Dublin street, it is alleged.
Craig McKeever (20) was arrested when the gun fell onto the ground in front of gardai, who fear it was related to an ongoing 'violent feud" in the city.
He was refused bail when he appeared in Dublin District Court this evening charged over the gun seizure in the south of the city on Wednesday.
Mr McKeever, from Dromard Road, Drimnagh is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm.
Garda Niall White told Judge Susan Fay the accused was detained under the Offences Against the State Act at Kilmainham Garda station before being charged at 5.25pm yesterday.
Gun seized by gardai in Dublin last night. Photo: An Garda Síochána Facebook
News in 90 Seconds - June 26th
He made no reply after caution.
Objecting to bail, the garda said he saw the accused and another man getting into the back of a taxi at Turvey Avenue, Inchicore at 8pm on June 24.
Gardai approached the cab, got a strong smell of cannabis and searched the two under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
Mr McKeever was wearing a ballistic vest and when the gardai opened it, an army green coloured .22 calibre pistol fell from it onto the ground, Gda White said. While the accused was being arrested, the other man fled on foot and attempts to apprehend him were unsuccessful.
In a preliminary examination, the pistol was found to be loaded with one round of ammunition. Gardai also seized the ballistic vest and €550 in cash Mr McKeever had on him.
The garda said the area where the accused was stopped was a popular location for entering and exiting households and apartments and was also near a park frequented by children.
He said the maximum sentence for the charge on conviction was 14 years. Gardai believed the gun seizure was related to an ongoing violent feud in the Dublin 8 area and the accused's family home had been burned out by a petrol bomb.
Applying for bail, defence barrister Kevin McCrave said Mr McKeever was prepared to abide by conditions and would be under the garda 'spotlight' and 'effectively under house arrest' if released.
He had always lived at his home address and family members including his father were in court to support him.
The accused, who was presumed innocent, could be in custody awaiting trial for at least a year if refused bail, Mr McCrave said. The other man had been arrested, charged and bailed, he added.
Judge Fay refused bail and remanded Mr McKeever in custody to appear in Cloverhill District Court on July 3, for DPP directions.
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