Two Limerick men, who were arrested by the Emergency Response Unit in possession of a loaded handgun in the city last May, have each been given 10 year sentences at the Circuit court.
24-year-old Liam Keane of Singland Gardens, Ballysimon in Limerick, and 21-year-old Greg Crawford, of St Munchins Street, St Marys Park in the city, had pleaded guilty to possession of a Glock semi-automatic weapon and 13 rounds of ammunition in Limerick on May 4 last.
Keane had only been released from prison 17 days before, where he had served a term for stealing a car.
The two were arrested during an operation mounted by the ERU who pursued them after they failed to stop.
Gardaí found the gun, which was loaded and ready for use, in the car. At the time of his arrest Keane was wearing latex gloves, and Greg Crawford was wearing woollen gloves.
Passing sentence today Judge Carrol Moran said he had to take into account that the gun was loaded and ready for use and that the accused were in possession of it for a serious and sinister purpose.
He also said the gun had been used in a previous shooting, both men had been wearing gloves, and the fact that the gun was linked to a well known feud in the city that had lead to the loss of a number of lives.
He imposed sentences of 10 years on both accused men.
