Latvian Advertised For Trouble

A Latvian man has been given an 18-month suspended sentence and fined €300 after advertising his illegally held pistols in a newspaper.

Pavels Samosjuks, who is living in Swords, placed an advert to sell his blank firing pistols with a Russian language newspaper that circulates in Ireland.

The 23-year-old admitted to garda he brought the pistols to Ireland in his luggage two years previously and that his fellow Latvian, Ivars Bobins, bought a pistol from him for €350.

He pleaded guilty to possession of firearms and ammunition while Bobins pleaded guilty to possession of ammunition.

After being alerted to the advertisement, Gardaí investigated the mobile number on the advert and searched Samosjuks' Carnegie Avenue house on January 27th, 2007 where they recovered four blank firing pistols and a quantity of ammunition.

Garda Nestor told the court that the pistols were legal in Latvia and neither man had any previous convictions.

He agreed with Bobins' defence that the firearms were "not capable of nor designed to fire live ammunition," and with Samosjuks' defence that there was a metal blockage inside the gun to prevent them firing bullets.

The court heard Bobins was a father of one who had been living in Ireland for seven years with his partner and had a good work history.

The court was also told that Samosjuks had already served nine months in custody, the equivalent of a 12-month sentence with remission.

His defence asked the court to take into account his client's youth and previous good character.

Judge Katherine Delahunt, at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, imposed the 18-month sentence with nine months suspended on Samosjuks and a suspended sentence of six-months on Bobins.

(VB)