Brothers accused of discharging assault rifles in Finglas withdraw bail applications

Two brothers accused of discharging assault rifles in a residential area in Dublin have withdrawn their bail applications and will indicate later this month if they want to go to trial.

Glen Ward (31) and Eric O’Driscoll (22) are charged with possession of firearms and reckless discharge on dates in January 2022 in the Finglas area. One charge alleges that Mr O’Driscoll was in possession of a military submachine gun.

The men were due to apply for bail on Monday at the three-judge, non-jury Special Criminal Court, but lawyers for both said they wanted to withdraw the applications.

Mr Justice Tony Hunt said he would give Mr Ward and Mr O’Driscoll and their legal teams “time to think about what you want to do”.

He said a trial date was available in November “if you want one” and gave them until later this month to update the court.

Mr Ward, with address in Finglas, is charged that on January 1st, 2022 at Ratoath Drive in Finglas, he had in his possession or control a .223 Remington AR-15 semi-automatic rifle in circumstances as to give rise to a reasonable inference that he did not have it for a lawful purpose. He is also charged that on the same date and at the same location he discharged a firearm, being reckless as to whether any person would be injured.

Mr O’Driscoll, also with a Finglas address, faces two charges identical to those against Mr Ward plus three further charges. Two relate to the alleged possession of a .223 Remington AR-15 semi-automatic rifle at Ratoath Drive on January 9th, 2022. Another alleges that on the same date he had in his possession or under his control a .380 ACP calibre military armament corporation make Ingram M11 submachine gun in circumstances giving rise to the reasonable inference that he did not have it for a lawful purpose.