A man who acted as a courier to bring a loaded gun and ammunition from Limerick to Dublin in order to pay off a gambling debt has been jailed for three years.

Gavin Hennessy (30) told gardai he did not know the man who phoned him to bring the gun to Dublin but said he was to be paid €500 which he said would go towards the €17,000 he owed in gambling debts.

Hennessy of Hunters Green in Firhouse, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of a Magnum Smith and Wesson revolver and 20 rounds of .44 ammunition on the N7 in Kill, Co Kildare on January 13, 2014.

Garda Stephen Foran told prosecuting counsel Cormac Quinn BL, that after receiving confidential information he became aware of the movements of an Opel Astra being driven along the N7 by Hennessy.

He performed a controlled stop and after searching the car he found the revolver wrapped in black cling film in the rear passenger foot well. He located the ammunition in the glove box.

Hennessy was arrested and told gardai that he received a call and was told he did not have to know who was calling him. He said he was told if he wanted to make some money he could pick something up in Limerick.

Hennessy, who has one previous conviction for a speeding offence, said he was told to drive to Limerick and he would receive another phone call informing him where to meet another man.

He said he wasn’t threatened and it was the “first job” he had done. He said he did it out of desperation as he had significant gambling problems.

Judge Martin Nolan accepted that Hennessy was desperate for money due to his gambling debt and that this incident represented “a once off fall from grace”.

“He was used but he was used with his eyes open. The gun could have been used to kill someone,” Judge Nolan said.

He said considering Hennessy lack of relevant criminal record and good work history and prospects it was “with regret” that he had to impose a custodial sentence but added “with certain crimes jail terms are inevitable”.