A grieving father who tried to avenge the gang-related murder of his son in Dublin last year has been sentenced at the Special Criminal Court to six years in prison.
Stephen Little's son was shot dead in May 2019 as part of an ongoing drugs feud in Coolock in Dublin which has so far claimed five lives.
The 47-year-old from Kilbarron Avenue in Dublin, who was caught with a loaded gun, told gardaí the murder cost him his son and his marriage.
A second gunman, 56-year-old Edward McDonnell from Waterside Apartments in New Ross, who was arrested in the car with him, was sentenced to nine years in prison.
Mr Justice Tony Hunt said the men were involved in serious and organised crime and the "timely intervention" of gardaí had prevented serious harm or death.
Both men were under surveillance last year by the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.
Little's 22-year-old son, Sean, had been shot dead four months earlier.
On 14 September 2019 the car Little and McDonnell were in was pulled over and they were caught with a semi-automatic pistol, two balaclavas, two baseball hats, mobile phones, gloves, a can of petrol and a long handled lighter.
When he was taken to Clontarf Garda Station. Stephen Little asked gardaí: "Why didn't you let it go another hour? Had you given me another hour I would have killed the b*****d that killed him."
He also said: "I lost my marriage and my son."
McDonnell initially pleaded not guilty but on the fifth day of his trial admitted his role.
He has 47 previous convictions, including for attempted robbery, sexual assault and assault causing harm.
