A "fully-armed tactical unit" from the Garda Emergency Response Unit secured the perimeter of the home of a heroin addict found in possession of firearms and ammunition, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard.
Judge Katherine Delahunt jailed Lee Williams (25), of St James' Court, Echlin Street, Dublin, for eight years for the firearms offences and for a later robbery at a Centra shop in which he threatened staff with a large kitchen knife and made off with nearly €1,000.
Garda Finian Dempsey told Ronan Kennedy, prosecuting, that gardaí found a loaded revolver, an air rifle, boxes of metal pellets, two balaclavas, cable ties and a radio scanner set to Garda frequencies in Williams's apartment.
Judge Delahunt described the find as "significant", and said the court had to look at the fact that it included two balaclavas and a radio scanner.
Williams pleaded guilty to possession of a revolver and air rifle at his home on November 3th, 2004.
A further four counts relating to ammunition were taken into consideration.
He also admitted robbery at a Centra store on James' Street on February 11th, 2006.
Williams has 23 previous convictions for crimes including robbery, criminal damage, road traffic and public order offences.
Garda Dempsey said a warrant was obtained under the Offences Against the State Act to search Williams's home, and the "fully-armed tactical unit" secured the apartments before his girlfriend opened the door to gardaí.
When arrested and interviewed at Pearse Street Garda station, Williams relied on his right to silence.
He was charged with the offences in March 2005, and remanded in custody but was later released on bail.
Judge Delahunt heard that in February 2006, Williams entered a Centra shop armed with a large kitchen knife, threatened the staff and demanded money from the till.
He made off with nearly €1,000 but was chased by the manager who followed Williams to his nearby apartment. Williams threatened to stab the shop manager if he did not stop following him.
A Garda patrol car arrived at the scene and arrested Williams, who said "you caught me" and returned €213 having dropped the remainer of the stolen notes.
Judge Delahunt backdated the eight-year term to when Williams entered custody in February 2006, and suspended the final year of the sentence.