Judge refuses to grant firearms licence

A Killeshandra man who was refused a gun licence by a local superintendent was unsuccessful in his appeal to the district court when the judge stated that from a personal point of view, civilians should not be in possession of guns. Ralph Trenier, Castle Street, Killeshandra, was appealing the decision of Supt. Brian Brunton at Ballyconnell District Court to refused him a gun licence in November 2009. In evidence, Supt Brunton told the court that on November 25 he made his decision on the right of application. He refused the application on the grounds of public safety. There were family issues going back to 2000. There was turmoil and two fire arms belonging to the application were seized and on April 17, 2009, they were again seized and his licence revoked. The applicant had three court convictions, one for assault and another for breach of a barring order. When Supt. Brunton received an application last year from Mr. Trenier, he (superintendent) spoke to Mr. Trenier's wife who stated that she was under pressure to write a letter in the superintendent to grant her husband a licence. "I was satisfied on the ground of public safety to refuse the application." Mrs. Trenier didn't have any objection to the fire arms being restored to her husband. The Treniers are not living together and there is a barring order in place. "What I have heard from the two garda sergeants dealing with the matter, I made the decision not to grant a fire arms certificate." Cross-examined by solicitor Denis McDwyer, Supt. Brunton said he was aware that Mr. Trenier had given the keys of his gun cabinet to Doctor Joan Ahern. The guns were securely locked in the cabinet. "Having taken everything into consideration, I felt that he was not suitable to hold a fire arms certificate." Judge Sean MacBride said the applicant had a very bad record with convictions for assault and a breach of a barring order. "I don't believe that guns should be in the hands of private individuals." You have to have disciplined people handing guns. The only people who should have fire arms are members of the Irish army and the special branch, he added. Ralph Trenier, in evidence, agreed there had been an acrimonious split between him and his wife. "I have never threatened anyone with a gun." He was a member of Killeshandra Gun Club since 1994 and still is. It was always his sport and he also enjoyed clay pigeon shooting and bird shooting. He raised pheasants and show jumped. He gave the keys of his gun cabinet to Dr. Ahern and she in turn gave them to the Gardaí. Replying to Supt. Brunton, witness denied that he asked his wife to write a letter to the superintendent saying she didn't object to him getting a fire arms licence. "I cannot be held accountable for what she is thinking or saying." He didn't put pressure on her to write the letter. Leaving his own objection to civilians possessing guns aside, Judge MacBride said that anyone who had a criminal conviction for assault was not fit to have a fire arms licence. "I would not be prepared to give a fire arm certificate to such a person." The applicant had to make the application on his own merit and not bring his wife into the matter. Taking the history into account, the judge refused the licence and upheld the superintendent's decision.