Newry Man Mark McCourt Charged with Gun and Explosive Possession
Mark McCourt faces serious charges after being caught with firearms and explosives in Ardee, Co Louth
Mark McCourt, Newry, Co Louth, Guns, Explosives, Ardee
Ardee: So, there’s this guy, Mark McCourt, who’s 34 and from Newry. He got caught with a serious stash of weapons back in July. The police found all sorts of stuff on him, like a semi-automatic rifle, handguns, and even a silencer. It’s pretty wild!
They seized six AR-15 rifles and a dozen 9mm handguns. That’s a lot of firepower! A detective from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau said McCourt was also charged with importing firearms and possessing explosives. This all happened between February 2023 and July 2024.
Apparently, this charge is linked to being part of a criminal organization. When the detective read out the charges, McCourt didn’t say a word. The court is still waiting on the DPP to decide where the trial will take place.
His lawyer, Paula Tiernan, mentioned that they didn’t need a book of evidence for the earlier charges, and McCourt was ready to plead guilty. But she was surprised by this new direction from the DPP. It seems things have changed quite a bit.
McCourt has been in custody since July, and the judge has set the next court date for January 15 to figure out where the trial will happen. Legal aid was granted for the new charges, so we’ll see how this unfolds.