Man accused of pointing shotgun at neighbour

A man in his 50s is expected to enter a plea later this month after appearing in court charged with pointing a double-barrel shotgun at his neighbour and firing two shots from it.

Gerard Keogh (57), Newtown, Ballynacargy, Westmeath, appeared at Mullingar District Court charged with the reckless discharge of a firearm at his home on May 6, 2024.

That incident, the court heard, arose after the victim went to challenge Mr Keogh for shouting at his 12-year-old boy to stay away from his property.

Judge Bernadette Owens was told Mr Keogh had earlier noticed the young boy walking down his lane and towards his farmyard shortly after 7pm.

Sgt Orla Keenan said soon after the boy cycled home to tell his parents, his father drove down in his van to confront Mr Keogh over what was said to his son.

She said it was the state’s case that when Mr Keogh noticed the boy’s father driving down the lane and towards his farmyard, he approached his SUV to retrieve a licensed double-barrel shotgun.

The court was told as the man entered the farmyard in his van, Mr Keogh walked towards him while aiming the shotgun at him.

Sgt Keenan said during the course of the man attempting to turn his van, the accused fired one shot from a shotgun over the vehicle “in a reckless manner”.

She added a second gunshot was fired in the direction of the van as the young boy’s father left the scene with no injuries or damage being caused as a result.

Sgt Keenan said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had consented for the incident to be dealt with by way of “summary disposal”.

No plea was entered by Mr Keogh during the brief hearing.

In defence, solicitor Louis Kiernan said his client was largely acceptive of the State’s case, noting however there had been “history” with his neighbour previously.

In handing up CCTV images taken from the scene, Mr Kiernan said there was evidence to suggest the young boy and his father had entered Keogh’s property, events which had inflamed the situation on the date in question.

He also intimated how Keogh had been left more than uncertain as to what was awaiting him on the evening.

“Mr Keogh will state he is aware his neighbour is the holder of firearms licences, a number of them,” said Mr Kiernan.

“He had no intention of harming anybody but he didn’t know what he was facing.”

Having opted to set aside the case for a short period, Judge Bernadette Owens accepted jurisdiction, allowing the case to remain in the District Court.

She granted the full disclosure of the State’s evidence to Mr Kiernan and remanded Mr Keogh on bail to a sitting of Mullingar District Court on October 24.