A 36-YEAR-OLD Kildare man described as a violent criminal commodities trader dealing in death has been jailed for 21 years by a Belfast court for plotting to smuggle guns and ammunition into Northern Ireland in September 2008.
Crown Court judge Mr Justice Stephens told Paul Edward Meehan, from The Crescent, Sallins, Co Kildare, he was devoid of insight and remorse and would readily re-engage in supplying guns to criminal gangs.
The court had heard that Meehan, who crippled himself while joyriding in a stolen car when he was 19, had unwittingly plotted with undercover police from the PSNI, the Garda and the Dutch crime squad in the Netherlands. Meehan pleaded guilty to a total of 10 charges. They included separate charges of conspiring to smuggle firearms and ammunition, cigarettes and drugs and four charges of using criminal property in the form of almost €410,000 which was also confiscated.
Mr Justice Stephens said the “murderous use” to which some of the weapons – among them Glock pistols – Meehan hoped to smuggle were put was clearly demonstrated from information from the Republic.
“Glock pistols became a notable feature in gangland shootings in the Republic of Ireland in 2005. Five murders were committed using this type of pistol in that year,” he said.
However, Mr Justice Stephens said that up until now Meehan did not “express any concern for the consequences” of his crimes, but rather had “revelled in the transactions as business on the dark side”.
Speaking outside the court, Det Supt Essie Adair said he was “delighted” at the term of imprisonment.
He thanked the Garda and Dutch police. “Without them and their co-operation the investigation could not have progressed and it shows that when we all work together, the results are significant.”