Man with 185 previous convictions is sentenced for carrying imitation rifle in Waterford
Thomas Costigan (34), of O'Connell Court, Penrose Lane, Waterford city, appeared in Waterford Circuit Court via video link from prison.
A Waterford man was sentenced in court last week for an incident where he brought a realistic imitation firearm to the scene of a domestic dispute.
Thomas Costigan (34), of O'Connell Court, Penrose Lane, Waterford city, appeared in Waterford Circuit Court via video link from prison. He has 185 previous convictions.
On June 3, 2024, Gardaí arrived at a residence to perform a curfew check on Thomas Costigan.
Upon arrival, the gardaí heard a domestic dispute coming from inside the residence.
Sometime during the course of this dispute, Costigan had left the residence and returned holding a realistic imitation firearm, namely a brown M14 rifle.
Gardaí, unaware at that time that the firearm was imitation, requested an armed support unit and cordoned the residence.
The armed unit entered the house and arrested Costigan.
Following a ballistic inspection of the firearm, it was concluded that its firing mechanism had been removed, and that it had no firing capacity.
It was later revealed that Costigan had taken the weapon from the shed of a neighbour, who subsequently reported the firearm stolen.
During court proceedings last week, the rifle was held aloft by an investigating garda member for the court to see. Judge Eugene O’Kelly also requested to hold the firearm to examine its weight.
Judge O’Kelly spoke on the realistic appearance of the weapon, saying that even experienced garda members believed it to be real.
Thomas Costigan has 185 previous convictions, the majority of which relate to public order and road traffic violations.
He also has six convictions for assault, 15 for theft, and one for escaping from lawful custody.
Costigan’s defence counsel, Mr. Gareth Hayden BL, outlined to Judge O’Kelly that Costigan had “an exceptionally difficult start to life” and has suffered from significant addiction issues.
Costigan wrote a letter of apology to the victim.
In it he wrote: “I’m sick of this life rotting away in a prison cell.”
Judge O’Kelly questioned, however, why he was not taking advantage of the opportunities and services which are made available to him in prison.
In sentencing the man, Judge O’Kelly said that in the wrong hands, possession of such a lethal looking weapon could cause “panic and upset.”
“And in Costigan’s hands, it was in the wrong hands,” he added.
“Costigan is a criminal, and a criminal having such a weapon is serious,” he further said.
Thomas Costigan was sentenced to two years and six months imprisonment with the final six months suspended on the condition that he engage with therapeutic work whilst in prison and with drug and alcohol treatment services post release.
Read more about recent court cases in Waterford HERE
