A LIMERICK man who shot an air rifle out his bedroom window avoided a prison sentence when a judge accepted that the incident was not linked to a feud.
Suspending a two-year prison sentence, Judge Tom O’Donnell said he was satisfied that Thomas Hanrahan should not be jailed for the mandatory five year sentence.
Limerick Circuit Court heard that the 25-year-old was living at his father’s house in Sean Heuston Place when he purchased an 5.5m industry standard air rifle and a damaged can of pepper spray on the internet.
On March 9, 2012, Gardaí were alerted to shots being fired from an upstairs window at the house.
When they spoke with Hanrahan, he produced the air rifle from behind a fridge and admitted to firing it out the back window of the house. He explained that he was shooting at tin cans on the shed roof.
He said that he bought the gun and pepper spray for his own and his father’s protection.
Prosecution counsel John O’Sullivan said it was accepted that he was “indulging in target practice”, but doing so in a built-up area.
In his ruling, Judge O’Donnell said that this was a case where a man was charged in connection with the illegal possession and reckless discharge of a firearm.
Subsequent minor convictions after the gun episode were also “not helpful” but the public would not be served by imposing a custodial sentence .
