THIS is the Dublin man who was seen by other passengers getting off a Luas with an imitation firearm in the waistband of his trousers.

Christopher Sweeney (33) claimed to gardai that he was planning on giving the realistic-looking imitation gun as a present to his young son.

Judge Anthony Halpin convicted and fined Sweeney €100 and said Sweeney was “walking around like Dirty Harry”.

The defendant, with an address at The View, Belgard Heights in Tallaght, admitted before Tallaght District Court to possession of a realistic imitation firearm at Kingswood View in Tallaght on April 12, 2012.

Garda Sergeant Bernard Jones said gardai received a call shortly before midnight from a member of the public claiming she saw two men getting off a Luas at Kingswood with a gun.

examined

Sgt Jones said gardai were told that one of the men had a small silver handgun in the waistband of his trousers.

The sergeant said gardai stopped Sweeney and he handed over the weapon. It was later examined by garda technical experts and was found to be a ball bearing gun.

The court heard Sweeney has 11 previous convictions, mostly for road traffic matters.

Defence lawyer George Burns said there was an incident on the Luas, Sweeney pulled his friend off and the weapon became visible.

Mr Burns said Sweeney got the ball bearing gun from his sister's boyfriend and the defendant, a father of three, had planned on giving it to his son.

The lawyer said Sweeney should not have carried it in his waistband.

Mr Burns also said Sweeney is separated from his partner and is currently living with his parents. He is not working and is on disability benefit.

Irish Independent