A 53-year-old man remains in Garda custody this morning following his arrest on Saturday night.
The arrest was made after officers stopped and searched a car on the Dundalk to Ardee road.
A gun and a quantity of ammunition were found in the car.
During a follow-up search of a premises in Co Louth, a firearm and stolen car were also recovered.
The man is being detained at Dundalk Garda Station.
Dundalk Courthouse
A man was jailed for five years at Dundalk Circuit Court yesterday after putting a gun in his 13-year-old daughter’s mouth during an assault on her.
The court also heard that the 42-year-old, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his children, also held the revolver to her 16-year-old sister’s face and smiled.
The incident happened in the early hours of February 8th 2014 when their mother, who is separated from the father, was away. The girls told the court they had been left psychologically scarred by the incident. The younger girl has been left with a heart problem as a result of the trauma and stress she endured and has attempted suicide. The older daughter said she feared retribution.
Their father was jailed for five years for threats to kill the younger girl and four years for assaulting her. He received a further three years for assaulting his older daughter and four years for having the gun.
All sentences are to run concurrently.
Barrack Close
Cllr John McGahon
Fine Gael councillor for Dundalk-Carlingford, John McGahon, has condemned the gun and arson attack that occurred at Barrack Close during the early hours of Thursday morning.
A 33-year-old man had to be rescued from the house by two Gardaí after the front room of the property was set alight. Moments before that a number of shots had been fired at the dwelling.
Commenting on the matter, Cllr McGahon said: “I was extremely concerned when I learned of this gun and arson attack. The Barrack Street area is a quiet part of Dundalk. It’s a mixture of older people and young families.
“Local residents are in shock and angered by the events that occurred in the early hours of Thursday morning. This was a brazen and targeted attack that has threatened the safety of a small knit community. Whoever was involved in this attack has no regard for law and order and the rules that the rest of society lives by.
“Barrack Close is a small cul de sac with about 20 semi-detached homes. We are incredibly lucky that no one was seriously injured in this attack. Make no mistake about it, the fact that it occurred at 1am, under the cover of darkness, shows it was deliberate attempt designed to inflict maximum damage.
“If it wasn’t for the quick actions of An Garda Siochana and the emergency services, we could be discussing a serious injury or fatality.
“I would urge anyone who has any information to bring it to the Gardai as soon as possible. Everyone has a right to live their lives without fear of violence. I call on those involved to think carefully about their actions and the repercussions involved.”
Barrack Close, where the incident occurred
Two local Gardaí came to a man’s rescue earlier today after his house suffered a gun and arson attack in the early hours of the morning.
The incident happened at Barrack Close, off Barrack Street and close to Hyde Park, around 1am.
A number of gun shots were fired at the front door and a front window of the house before what is believed to have been some form of petrol bomb was thrown through the window, causing extensive damage to the front room of the property.
After being alerted to the incident, two local Gardaí fored their way into the house where they found a 33-year-old man asleep in an upstairs bedroom.
They then pulled him from the house before an ambulance and Dundalk Fire Service arrived.
The scene was preserved after the incident, with a forensics team carrying out a technical examination.
Anyone who witnessed anything in the area at the time is asked to contact Dundalk Garda Station on 042 9335577 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.
Muirhevnamor
Muirhevnamor has been named as one of the country’s most troubled housing estates in what is sure to be a controversial article in The Sunday World.
In an article entitled ‘Estates of fear’ – published at the weekend – report Eamon Dillon names the Dundalk estate as one dealing with “the twin parasites of anti-social behaviour and organised crime.”
Muirhevnamor was one of nine estates around the country listed in the article and the only one outside of Dublin and Limerick.
Commenting on Muirhevnamor, the article read: “Gun and arson attacks this summer have highlighted how serious criminals have established a presence in this huge estate in Dundalk. One gun attack this summer was a reckless and dangerous attack which could easily have cost the life of an innocent bystander. Criminals with paramilitary connections have allowed serious crime to become embedded in the region.”
You can read the article here.
Personally speaking, we here at Talk of the Town feel this is a very harsh assessment of any area where there are many genuine people and families residing. Let us know your opinion.
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