Prison for two caught by armed gardai ‘red-handed’

Two men who were “stopped and caught red-handed” with a firearm and ammunition during a raid by armed gardaí, have been jailed at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, reports Isabel Hayes and Niamh O’Donoghue.

Michael Simpson (36) of Rowlagh Avenue, Clondalkin, and Declan Coulahan (46) of Drumcairn Parade, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a firearm and one count of possessing ammunition on December 17, 2024, at Simpson’s home address.

Simpson also pleaded guilty to possessing just under €5,500 of cocaine for sale or supply and €68 of cannabis which was found in the games room of his house by gardaí.

He has 85 previous convictions, including several for possession of drugs. He is currently serving a one-year sentence for possession of drugs for sale or supply.

Coulahan has no previous convictions and was not known to gardaí prior to this incident.

Passing sentence on Wednesday, Judge Martina Baxter said they were “stopped and caught red-handed” after a number of gardai were in vicinity.

The judge said the firearm, which was made up of two different guns, was “a very lethal weapon and having regard to its composite structure, it would be very difficult to find its origin.”

She also noted that there were young children living in Simpson’s home where the drugs were found. The judge said it was “concerning” as the drugs “could have been found by children”.

The judge sentenced Simpson to six years with the final six months suspended. The judge gave Coulahan a six-year sentence with the final year suspended.

Detective Sergeant Leo Clayton told Oisin Clarke BL prosecuting, that armed officers from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau put an operation in place around Simpson’s home following a confidential tip-off.

Around 8pm on the evening in question, Simpson exited his home and got into the front passenger seat of a van which was then intercepted by armed gardaí immediately. Simpson stepped out with his hands in the air and both he and the driver of the van were arrested.

A white Tesco bag containing a semi-automatic handgun was retrieved from the van along with bullets which were in Simpson’s pocket. The gun was “unique” in that two firearms had been assembled into one.

The van had been rented by Coulahan’s employer and Coulahan was using it at the time for work purposes.

Simpson made a number of admissions in interview, telling gardaí he knew he was being given the gun and that he was supposed to give it to somebody else. He said he was doing this because he owed about €20,000 for drugs and money was going to be taken off this debt if he did so.

He told gardaí he did not know what the gun was going to be used for, the court heard. He said his role was to transport the firearm and give it to somebody else.

Simpson said he did not want to do it, but he told gardaí the people he was doing it for were “dangerous people”.

“If they ask you to do something, you do it,” he said.

Dominic McGinn SC, defending Simpson, said his client has a wife and young children. He has a background in scaffolding and lost two of his fingers in a work accident, the court heard.

However, Judge Baxter noted that the injury was in fact from a fireworks accident. Counsel told the court his employer said there was a job waiting for him upon his release from custody.

Seamus Clarke SC, defending Coulahan, said his client has “got to this stage without any prior convictions”. He has a partner and three children and works at fixing and delivering televisions.

He had a drug-addiction problem at the time and told gardaí there would be “serious consequences” if he did not do the job. He is doing well in custody.