An Offaly man who pointed a shotgun at a taxi driver instead of paying his fare has received a ten-month suspended sentence.
Thomas Hyland had pleaded not guilty to committing the offence at his home in Derrybeg, Tullamore at 4am on 31 July last year.
Judge Catherine Staines said she was suspending the sentence on condition the 29-year-old not possess a firearm for that period.
Tullamore District Court heard Hyland went drinking after being out shooting pigeons that morning.
Taxi driver Charles Chinda said the accused went into the house to get €10 to pay the fare.
After about five minutes he saw Hyland coming to the front door from where he saw a shotgun being pointed at him.
He bent down and reversed out the driveway and then rang the guards from the road.
When gardaí arrived, the defendant, who admitted having ten pints and two vodka and red bulls, was intoxicated and a shotgun was found on his bedroom floor.
Another shotgun was found in the utility room and a third firearm was in a gun safe.
The court heard there were no cartridges in the house and while the man recalled being out drinking and going to Supermacs afterwards, he could not remember pointing a gun at the taxi driver.
The court was also told the taxi fare was paid after the gardaí arrived.
Judge Staines said it was extraordinarily serious for an intoxicated man to have a firearm and in different circumstances the court could have been dealing with a murder case.
