Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 6522Firearms offence · Co. Dublin

Submachine gun and sawn-off shotgun seized by gardaí in Dublin

On Friday 16 February 2024, gardaí stopped a grey Ford Focus on the Old Navan Road in Dublin 15 and arrested Jamie Moss, a man aged 21, and Sarah Jane Byrne, a woman in her 30s, after a pistol and ammunition were found in the car, with a nine-year-old child also in the vehicle. Follow-up searches at two addresses on Friday evening and Saturday morning, 16 and 17 February, recovered a submachine gun, a sawn-off shotgun and ammunition, and gardaí believe the seizures foiled a suspected gangland hit on associates of Jason Hennessy Snr. Both were charged and appeared before Blanchardstown District Court on 19 February 2024, where each was granted bail on conditions and both were remanded on bail to a later date. Directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions remain outstanding and the investigation is ongoing.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrested17 Feb
    3 reports
  3. Charged17 Feb
  4. In court19 Feb
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
When
  • Gardaí stopped a grey Ford Focus on the Old Navan Road in Dublin 15 on Friday afternoon, 16 February 2024.
  • Follow-up searches at two addresses in the Dublin Region on Friday evening, 16 February, and Saturday morning, 17 February 2024, seized a submachine gun, a sawn-off shotgun and ammunition.
What happened
Two occupants of the car, a man in his 20s and a woman in her 30s, were found with a pistol and ammunition, and a nine-year-old child was a passenger.
Weapon
  • Jamie Moss is accused of possessing a 9mm Makarov handgun wrapped in clingfilm and a plastic bag; the Irish Mirror reports a loaded machine pistol was found in the car, while the garda release describes a pistol.
  • The Irish Mirror says a Tokarev submachine gun and a sawn-off Beretta shotgun were found at Byrne's address, while the garda release refers only to two more firearms seized at the two addresses.
Cause
Gardaí believe the seizures foiled a suspected gangland hit by associates of Tristan Sherry on associates of Jason Hennessy Snr, to avenge Sherry's death.
Other details
  • Jason Hennessy Snr was shot in Browne's Steakhouse in Blanchardstown on 24 December 2023 and died eleven days later; Sherry died at the scene.
  • Byrne is reported to have admitted taking possession of the weapons, cleaning them and re-wrapping them when arrested.
  • Directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions remain outstanding.
Investigation
  • CCTV reportedly shows the accused and the vehicle at a Mulhuddart car park where a firearm was exchanged with another unknown person.
  • Moss was arrested under Section 15 of the Firearms Act and taken to Blanchardstown Garda Station, and both occupants were detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939, at a Garda station in Dublin.
  • The seized firearms and ammunition are being analysed by the Ballistics Section of the Garda National Technical Bureau, and forensic tests are expected to yield further evidence.
  • Detectives are investigating whether the loaded gun was being moved ahead of a potential hit, and the seizures are part of a wider investigation into a gangland feud.
Charges
Moss and Byrne were charged over alleged firearms offences, and Byrne was charged with five offences and made no reply after caution.
In court
Moss was granted bail on strict conditions, including daily sign-on and a residence address provided to the court, and Byrne was granted bail, barred from applying for travel documents and ordered to stay out of Dublin 15.
50 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThree firearms were seized. (garda.ie)
  • whatGardaí believe they foiled a suspected gangland hit on associates of Jason Hennessy Snr. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatA man and a woman were arrested and a machine gun was recovered from a car. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatGardaí seized a number of firearms in Dublin over the weekend. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatGardaí recovered a submachine gun, a sawn-off shotgun and ammunition. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatA man in his 20s and a woman in their 30s were detained by gardaí. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatJamie Moss is accused of possessing a 9mm Makarov handgun wrapped in clingfilm and a plastic bag. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatA nine-year-old child was a passenger in the car when it was searched. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereGardaí stopped a car on the Old Navan Road in Dublin 15. (garda.ie)
  • whereThe car was stopped on the Old Navan Road. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe searches were carried out at two addresses in the capital. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe two people were travelling in a car on the Old Navan Road in northwest Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereGardaí stopped and searched a grey Ford Focus on the old Navan Road. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe incident took place on 16th to 17th February 2024. (garda.ie)
  • whenThe car was stopped on Friday afternoon, 16 February 2024. (garda.ie)
  • whenThe arrests followed the discovery of a firearm on Friday, 16 February 2024, in Dublin 15. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe searches took place on Friday evening and Saturday morning. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe firearms were discovered in the Dublin 15 area on the Friday before the court hearing. (irishmirror.ie)
  • causeIt is believed the planned hit was due to be carried out by associates of Sherry to avenge his death. (irishmirror.ie)
  • causeGardaí believe one of the guns seized over the weekend was to be used in a planned shooting. (irishtimes.com)
  • weaponTwo occupants of the car were found to be in possession of a pistol and ammunition. (garda.ie)
  • weaponTwo more firearms were seized in the searches, including a submachine gun and a sawn-off shotgun, as well as ammunition. (garda.ie)
  • weaponOfficers found a loaded gun, believed to be a machine pistol, when they searched the car. (irishmirror.ie)
  • weaponThe two people were found in possession of a pistol and ammunition. (irishtimes.com)
  • weaponA follow-up search of Byrne's address found a Tokarev submachine gun and a sawn-off Beretta shotgun. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationInvestigations are ongoing. (garda.ie)
  • investigationGardaí seized the firearm and ammunition at the scene. (garda.ie)
  • investigationFollow-up searches were carried out at two addresses in the Dublin Region on 16 and 17 February 2024. (garda.ie)
  • investigationThe three seized firearms and ammunition are being analysed by the Ballistics Section of the Garda National Technical Bureau. (garda.ie)
  • investigationThe firearm is being analysed by the Ballistics Section of the Garda National Technical Bureau. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationDetectives are investigating whether the loaded gun was being moved ahead of a potential hit on younger associates of Jason Hennessy Snr. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe seizures are part of a wider investigation into a gangland feud. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe firearms and ammunition will be analysed by the ballistics section of the Garda National Technical Bureau. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationMoss was arrested under Section 15 of the Firearms Act and taken to Blanchardstown Garda Station. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationCCTV showed the accused and the vehicle at a Mulhuddart car park where a firearm was exchanged with another unknown person. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationForensic tests on the firearm are expected to yield further evidence. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeThe woman and the man arrested in this investigation have been charged. (garda.ie)
  • chargeThe man and woman were arrested for alleged firearms offences. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeA man and a woman were charged over the discovery of the handgun. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeByrne was charged with five offences, and made no reply after caution. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThey are expected to appear before Blanchardstown District Court on the morning of Monday 19th February 2024 at the 10:30am sitting. (garda.ie)
  • courtMoss was granted bail on strict conditions, including daily sign-on and a residence address provided to the court. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtByrne was granted bail, barred from applying for travel documents, and ordered to stay out of Dublin 15. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtBoth accused were remanded on bail and given a date for their next court appearance. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherA man in his 20s and a woman in her 30s were arrested at the scene. (garda.ie)
  • otherThe two arrested people are detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939, at a Garda station in Dublin. (garda.ie)
  • otherThe man (20s) and woman (30s) were detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939, at a Garda station in the DMR Region. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherBoth occupants of the car are being held at a Garda station in Dublin under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act 1939. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherByrne admitted taking possession of the weapons, cleaning them and re-wrapping them when arrested. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherDirections from the Director of Public Prosecutions remain outstanding. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 19 Feb2024
    In courtirishmirror.ie, first report
    Child, 9, found in car when gardai discovered loaded handgun, court hears

    First report of this incident. Adds the court appearance on 19 February 2024, the charges against both accused, the bail conditions, and the follow-up search at Byrne's address. The article says directions from the DPP remain outstanding and withholds the addresses of both accused.

    accused, Jamie Moss, 21, male, named, irish (judged from name)Jamie Mossaccused, Sarah Jane Byrne, 35, female, named, irish (judged from name)Sarah Jane Byrne
  2. 18 Feb2024
    Arrestedirishtimes.com, first report
    Submachine gun and sawn-off shotgun seized by gardaí as part of organised crime investigation

    Reports firearms seized in Dublin during searches at two addresses and the arrest of a man and a woman found with a pistol. Links the seizures to a wider gangland feud investigation connected to Christmas murders in northwest Dublin, but the Christmas murders themselves are not the subject of this article.

    suspect, 20s, malesuspect, 30s, female
  3. 18 Feb2024
    Arrestedirishmirror.ie, follow-up
    Gardai fear bloodbath after foiled suspected Jason Hennessy Snr associates hit

    Covers a separate incident from the Christmas Eve shooting in case 6491: the arrests and seizure of a loaded gun in a car on 16 February 2024, which gardaí link to a suspected planned hit on Hennessy associates.

    suspect, 20s, malesuspect, 30s, female
  4. 17 Feb2024
    Arrestedgarda.ie, follow-up
    Three Firearms Seized and Two Arrests, Dublin, 16th – 17th February 2024

    Official garda.ie press release covering the car stop, the two arrests and the follow-up searches on 16 and 17 February 2024. It matches no existing case.

    suspect, 20s, malesuspect, 30s, female
  5. 17 Feb2024
    Chargedgarda.ie, follow-up
    Update: Court Appearances - Three Firearms Seized and Two Arrests, Dublin, 16th – 17th February 2024

    Court update from garda.ie: the two people arrested in this investigation have been charged and are due before Blanchardstown District Court on 19 February 2024. The article is a court-date update and does not name the accused.

    accused, 30s, femaleaccused, 20s, male