Gangland gunman Gerard Byrne pleads guilty to possession of Glock 19 and Webley revolver

Appearing before Gorey District Court on Tuesday last, Gerard Byrne of Spencer Dock, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty to three separate offences arising from his arrest in Gorey on March 15, 2018.

Dressed in a grey Under Armour tracksuit, Byrne spoke only briefly during the hearing.

The 31-year-old pleaded guilty to possession of a Glock 19 semi-automatic pistol and a .38 calibre Webley six-shot revolver at Millands, Courtown Road in Gorey on March 15, 2018.

He further pleaded guilty to possession of a dozen 9mm calibre Parabellum bullets and 6 .38 calibre bullets.

Byrne pleaded guilty to a further charge of damaging an interview room at Enniscorthy Garda station in the wake of his arrest.

The court heard a co-accused of Byrne’s had already pleaded guilty to weapons offences and had been sentenced by the court.

In October of last year, Daniel Delaney (29) of 3 Mariner’s Court, Sheriff Street, Dublin 1 admitted possession of a Glock semi-automatic pistol and a Webley revolver on the same date.

Investigating, Garda Tomás O’Leary reported that Delaney had 152 previous convictions and that he was on bail when he arrived in Gorey.

One man was arrested that night when officers arrived at a temporary council yard on the outskirts of Gorey at Millands where the guns and bullets were found in bag in a Volkswagen.

Two others fled but Delaney was arrested later that night in Ramsgate Village where he was hiding in a camper van belonging to a Thomas O’Brien. Delaney was sentenced to six years for possession of firearms with three years suspended.

At Gerard Byrne’s plea hearing this week, the court heard a third man facing charges as a result of the events of March 15 has elected to take a trial date. The court heard it is likely that the trial of this individual will last approximately two weeks.

Byrne’s sentencing was adjourned to a later date.

Jonathan Hutch — who is not involved in crime and wasn’t part of the feud — had been staying in the Gorey area after being targeted by the Kinahan cartel because of his family name.

Mr Hutch was nearly killed by the Kinahan gang on a holiday to Majorca in August, 2016. During the botched hit, innocent 41-year-old father Trevor O’Neill was shot dead instead.

Mr O’Neill was shot once in the back as he walked close to the gangland target who was staying in the Costa de la Calma area of Majorca on August 17, 2016.

The Dublin City Council worker had only just met Hutch — who has survived two attempts on his life — because the pair were staying at the same apartment complex.